Coronavirus: cases surpass 20,000 in Saudi Arabia

One million people in the kingdom have been screened, the health ministry says

Worshipers perform Isha prayer while keeping distance between them next to the Kaaba in Mekkah's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site on April 27, 2020. AFP

Saudi Arabia's coronavirus cases exceeded 20,000 on Tuesday after the country released daily figures adding 1,266 individuals to the total. 
Eight people have died from causes related to the virus, bringing the total number of fatalities to 152, the health ministry said.
The country now has 20,077 cases of the disease.
Since April 17, the government has been announcing over 1,000 cases of the coronavirus daily, after screening one million people, the ministry said.

"The testing has helped detect certain areas that may have an increase number of cases, and these are targeted via mass testing depending on whether or not they test positive," a health ministry spokesperson said.
The spike in cases was seen after the health ministry started running tests two weeks ago.

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The health ministry said the 253 people have recovered during the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 2,784.
One million people in the country have been screened for the novel coronavirus, the ministry said.

Other GCC states also reported increases in cases.

Oman reported 82 new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total to 2,131, the health ministry said.

They include 40 Omani citizens and 42 foreigners, the ministry said.

One person died from the disease in Kuwait over the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 23 fatalities.

The 61-year-old Indian resident passed away in intensive care, the Health Ministry spokesperson Abdullah Al Sanad said.

Mr Al Sanad said that 152 new cases emerged in the last 24 hours, raising the total number to 3,440 cases.

Of those infected,128 came in contact with individuals who were carrying the disease and 15 others were linked to travel to the UK, Turkey and France, the official said.

The ministry said that 164 patients have recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,176.

Bahrain said on Tuesday that 87 new coronavirus were found during the last 24 hours.

The number now stand at 2,810. The health ministry said that of those infected were 72 expatriate workers, it was mostly due to having direct contact with those infected.

There were no new death cases announced on Tuesday, eight people have died since the outbreak was reported in the country.

The ministry said 28 patients have fully recovered, pushing the total number of recoveries to 1,218.