• People spend time at the seafront promenade in the Saudi port city of Jeddah as the country reopens following the lifting of a lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. AFP
    People spend time at the seafront promenade in the Saudi port city of Jeddah as the country reopens following the lifting of a lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. AFP
  • People spend time at the seafront promenade in the Saudi seaport of Jeddah. AFP
    People spend time at the seafront promenade in the Saudi seaport of Jeddah. AFP
  • A man walks at the seafront promenade in the Saudi port city of Jeddah. AFP
    A man walks at the seafront promenade in the Saudi port city of Jeddah. AFP
  • Saudi youths ride bicycles at the seafront promenade in the Saudi port city of Jeddah. AFP
    Saudi youths ride bicycles at the seafront promenade in the Saudi port city of Jeddah. AFP
  • A hairdresser clad in face shield and mask cuts a client's hair at a women's salon in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
    A hairdresser clad in face shield and mask cuts a client's hair at a women's salon in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
  • A hairdresser clad in face shield and mask blow-dries a client's hair at a women's salon in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
    A hairdresser clad in face shield and mask blow-dries a client's hair at a women's salon in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
  • Mask-clad men walk along the promenade of Tahlia street in the centre of Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
    Mask-clad men walk along the promenade of Tahlia street in the centre of Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
  • Mask-clad clients wait for their table to be sanitised upon arriving at a cafe in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
    Mask-clad clients wait for their table to be sanitised upon arriving at a cafe in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
  • A worker sanitises a table for clients at a cafe in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
    A worker sanitises a table for clients at a cafe in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
  • A waiter takes orders from clients at a cafe in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
    A waiter takes orders from clients at a cafe in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
  • A mask-clad waiter takes orders from clients at a cafe in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
    A mask-clad waiter takes orders from clients at a cafe in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. AFP
  • Cars drive down King Fahad boulevard after the authorities eased some of the lockdown measures that had been imposed in a bid to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, in the Saudi capital Riyadh. AFP
    Cars drive down King Fahad boulevard after the authorities eased some of the lockdown measures that had been imposed in a bid to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, in the Saudi capital Riyadh. AFP
  • Cars drive along King Fahad boulevard after the authorities eased some of the lockdown measures that had been imposed in a bid to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus, in the Saudi capital Riyadh. AFP
    Cars drive along King Fahad boulevard after the authorities eased some of the lockdown measures that had been imposed in a bid to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus, in the Saudi capital Riyadh. AFP
  • Workers wearing protective face masks work on a road after authorities eased some of the measures that had been imposed in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, in the Saudi capital Riyadh. AFP
    Workers wearing protective face masks work on a road after authorities eased some of the measures that had been imposed in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, in the Saudi capital Riyadh. AFP
  • A volunteer checks the temperature of a man as he arrives to perform the dawn prayer at a mosque in the Saudi holy city of Makkah. AFP
    A volunteer checks the temperature of a man as he arrives to perform the dawn prayer at a mosque in the Saudi holy city of Makkah. AFP
  • Worshippers, keeping a safe distance from one another, perform the dawn prayer at a mosque in the Saudi holy city of Makkah. AFP
    Worshippers, keeping a safe distance from one another, perform the dawn prayer at a mosque in the Saudi holy city of Makkah. AFP

Coronavirus: Saudi father and son’s handshake ends in death

Health ministry implores people to keep safe distance from elderly parents as cases increase in kingdom

The National

June 28, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

A simple handshake between father and son ended in tragedy after the coronavirus spread rapidly through their family and caused the elder man's death.

In a series of cautionary tales to highlight the continuing risks of Covid-19, the Saudi Health Ministry highlighted the human cost of widespread disregard for social distancing in the kingdom.

The citizen also infected his mother and 16 other members of the family in the same city, the Saudi Health Ministry said on Friday.

The incident occurred because of “hand shaking and lack of adherence to precautionary measures”.

When visiting parents, “leave distance between you and them, don’t kiss them, and wear a mask”, Health Minister Tawfiq Al Rabiah tweeted.

“Don’t boycott them but do not come too close.”

Saudi authorities have been imploring people to abide by coronavirus containment measures as the country faces sharp increases in confirmed infections, with deaths officially passing 1,500 at the weekend.

The latest official data released on Sunday showed that 40 more people in Saudi Arabia died from the coronavirus and 3,989 more people were infected.

Last week, authorities announced that the number of pilgrims allowed to perform Hajj this year would be limited to "thousands" of people already in the kingdom, a tiny fraction of the 2.5 million who attended last year.

  • Worshippers perform the dawn prayer at a mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, after authorities eased lockdown measures that had been imposed in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus. AFP
    Worshippers perform the dawn prayer at a mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, after authorities eased lockdown measures that had been imposed in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus. AFP
  • Worshippers gather for the dawn prayer at a mosque in the Saudi city of Makkah. AFP
    Worshippers gather for the dawn prayer at a mosque in the Saudi city of Makkah. AFP
  • A volunteer checks the temperature of a man as he arrives to perform the dawn prayer at a mosque in the Saudi city of Makkah. AFP
    A volunteer checks the temperature of a man as he arrives to perform the dawn prayer at a mosque in the Saudi city of Makkah. AFP
  • A volunteer checks the temperature of a man as he arrives to perform the dawn prayer at a mosque in Makkah. AFP
    A volunteer checks the temperature of a man as he arrives to perform the dawn prayer at a mosque in Makkah. AFP

The World Health Organisation praised the move, which came as a disappointment to many Muslims hoping to participate this year.

“This is another example of the hard choices all countries must make to put health first,” WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

“We understand that it was not an easy decision to make. And we also understand it is a major disappointment for many Muslims who are looking forward to making their pilgrimage this year.”

The measures, announced last Monday, came after Saudi Arabia took steps including lockdowns, travel restrictions, closing borders, closing venues and shutting schools, offices and universities to limit the spread of Covid-19.

The number of confirmed deaths in the kingdom stands at 1,551 people, with 182,493 cases registered since the start of the outbreak.

In Iran, the country that has been hit hardest by the virus in the Middle East, face masks will become mandatory in some public areas, President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday.

Tehran has held back from enforcing full lockdowns, even as cases continued to rise, and the use of masks and protective equipment has been optional in most areas.

Iran reported its first Covid-19 cases on February 19 and has since struggled to contain the outbreak as the death toll crossed 10,500 and the number of infected reached more than 220,000 on Sunday.

Official figures have shown new confirmed cases have risen daily since early May, when Iran hit a near two-month low in daily recorded infections.

Worldwide, cases exceeded 10 million after a sharp rise in new infections in the US and record daily highs in India.

The US accounts for more than a third of the global tally, with cases now topping 2.6 million and deaths exceeding 128,000.

Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?

The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.

Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.

New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.

“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.

The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.

The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.

Bloomberg

Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
  1. Join parent networks
  2. Look beyond school fees
  3. Keep an open mind
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Plastic tipping points
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm

Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm

Transmission: CVT auto

Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km

On sale: now

Price: from Dh195,000 

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
While you're here
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The Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

Get Out

Director: Jordan Peele

Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford

Four stars

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Need to know

When: October 17 until November 10

Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration

Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center

What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.

For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com

GCCSaudi ArabiaCoronavirus