Saudi Arabia vaccinates 3 million against COVID-19

Najran Gov. Prince Jalawi bin Abdul Aziz bin Musaed launches a campaign to offer the coronavirus vaccine to the employees of the region’s municipality. (SPA)
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Updated 22 March 2021
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Saudi Arabia vaccinates 3 million against COVID-19

  • Health Ministry reports 367 new coronavirus cases, 277 recoveries, 7 deaths

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has vaccinated more than 3 million people against COVID-19, about 70 percent of those who have registered to receive the jab.

The Ministry of Health has continued to emphasize the safety and efficacy of coronavirus vaccines, amid queries and doubts that have pushed some in the Kingdom to opt out of getting the jabs.
At Sunday’s press conference ministry spokesman Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly answered a series of frequently asked questions that included the postponement of pregnancy plans until after receiving the jab, blood donation, vaccine-related fatalities, whether the vaccine would be a requirement for travel or Umrah and other topics.
Al-Aly said there were no indications that the vaccines could have any effect on plans to get pregnant and that plans should go forward smoothly. He added that nursing mothers could also take the vaccines safely, while studies continued to be done on the possibility of providing the vaccine to expectant mothers and people in younger age groups.
Blood donors could also donate blood accordingly without any issues, the spokesman told the press conference.
With concerns about blood clots still strong in people’s minds after high-profile cases of foreign governments pausing or altering their vaccination programs over this health concern, Al-Aly reiterated that a causal link between blood clots and the vaccine had not been proven. There was no accurate or strong evidence that would indicate a correlation between the vaccines and thrombosis, he said, and the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the side effects.
On the subject of Umrah and travel, Al-Aly said that the vaccine was for everyone’s safety, especially when large crowds of people were involved, and authorities had not imposed any restrictions on travelers or pilgrims who had not been vaccinated.
For people who have received the vaccine, a post-jab survey on the Sehhaty app allows them to register any symptoms after the first or second dose.
The spokesman confirmed that no serious side effects had been noted other than what was expected — a slight fever, headache, nausea, chills or muscle pain. He  added that no vaccine-related deaths had occurred, rejecting claims that a man had died due to complications after receiving a dose.

FASTFACTS

385,020 Total cases

374,412 Recoveries

6,609 Deaths

He went on to say that, with a high level of community awareness and compliance with precautionary measures and protocols, the current fluctuating rate in daily confirmed cases could go down.
For more than six weeks the Kingdom’s daily count has been in the 300s, while the number of patients in intensive care units continue to climb.
On Sunday the ministry reported 367 new cases, raising the total number of confirmed infections to 385,020. The Riyadh region had the highest case count with 165, followed by the Eastern Province with 74 and Makkah with 46 cases. Baha and Najran both reported two cases each.
With Sunday’s numbers, the number of active cases has risen to 3,999, 584 of which are in critical care. The number of recoveries increased to 374,412 on Sunday with the addition of 277 recoveries in the past 24 hours. There were seven new coronavirus-related deaths, raising the death toll to 6,609.
Authorities are continuing their monitoring campaigns to ensure compliance with the precautionary measures imposed to stem the spread of coronavirus.
They recorded 29,191 violations of the regulations within one week, according to a Ministry of Interior report. Riyadh recorded the highest number of breaches with 10,949 violations, followed by Makkah with 7,064 and the Eastern Province with 3,869.
The ministry called on people to stick to the rules.
The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance on Sunday temporarily shut down six mosques in five regions after a number of coronavirus cases were confirmed among worshippers.
Infections have led to 332 mosques being forced to temporarily close over the past 42 days, with 319 reopening after sanitization measures were completed.

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How Saudi Arabia acted swiftly and coordinated a global response to fight the coronavirus, preventing a far worse crisis at home and around the world

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Turaif traces historical, cultural mosaic to pre-Islamic era

Updated 03 July 2025
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Turaif traces historical, cultural mosaic to pre-Islamic era

  • Evidence of Stone Age settlements in the region
  • Has Tapline, Kingdom’s first industrial heritage site

TURAIF: Located in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region, Turaif governorate stands as a crossroads of ancient civilizations and a gateway to Iraq and the Levant.

The governorate is home to a range of rich cultural and heritage sites, many of which date back to pre-Islamic times.

Heritage Commission sign board at the archaeological site of Qasr Duqrah, located 40 kilometers southwest of Turaif governorate. (SPA)

Among the most prominent heritage landmarks is the archaeological site of Qasr Duqrah, situated 40 km southwest of the governorate.

Adjacent to it lies a mountain known as Aqran, also referred to as Duqrah Mount, which has been recorded under the Comprehensive Archaeological Survey Program.

Zahi Al-Khalawi, a member of the Saudi Historical Society, said the site is among the Kingdom’s most significant archaeological locations because there is evidence of human settlements dating to the Stone Age.

He said habitation at the site continued through the later Roman period (2 to 6 centuries C.E.) and persisted into the Umayyad era (661 to 750 C.E.).

Another landmark is the Trans-Arabian Pipeline, or Tapline, one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant industrial heritage sites.

The pipeline stretches from the east of the Kingdom to its north, passing through Turaif, and has been registered in the National Industrial Heritage Register.

Known as the Tapline, this oil pipeline stretches from eastern Saudi Arabia to the northwest, passing through Turaif. (SPA)

It is the first documented industrial heritage site in the Kingdom, representing the early stages of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry and its developmental and economic significance.

Also noteworthy is the culturally significant site of Qaru Turaif, a water source developed by the Tapline Co. in the 1950s to help settle nomadic communities by order of the late King Abdulaziz.

To the east of Turaif, about 25 km away, stands Jabal Umm Waal, a historic landmark and northern gateway into the Arabian Peninsula.

The mountain tells the stories of Bedouin life and the passage of trade caravans and pilgrims traveling from the Levant and Iraq. For centuries, it served as a safe route for travelers making their way southward.

 


Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister’s call for sovereignty over occupied West Bank

Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister’s call for sovereignty over occupied West Bank

  • Kingdom’s foreign ministry said the move would violate international laws

RIYADH: A government minister’s threat for Israel to apply full sovereignty over the occupied West Bank was strongly condemned by Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Kingdom “condemned and denunciated” the statement made by the Israeli official calling for the imposition of sovereignty over the Palestinian territory.

Such action would be a violation of international law, the statement said. Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to expand settlements on Palestinian land, the ministry added, while reiterating the Kingdom’s position on the importance of Israel abiding by international resolutions.

The statement followed comments from Israel’s Justice Minister Yariv Levin saying “the time has come” for Israel to apply sovereignty across the West Bank.

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967 and has built dozens of settlements, deemed illegal under international law, across the territory.

The Saudi foreign ministry offered its support for the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate rights and in establishing a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

 


Saudi ministry recalls faulty chargers over fire risk

Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi ministry recalls faulty chargers over fire risk

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce has announced the recall of 88,518 Anker portable chargers across multiple models due to a potential internal electrical short circuit that may cause overheating and pose a fire risk.

The ministry urged consumers to immediately stop using the affected products and contact Anker at the toll-free number 8008500030 to arrange a replacement or full refund, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Consumers can check if their device is included in the recall and start the replacement or refund process by visiting anker.com/mmrc2506.

Users are also advised to verify the model number of their charger against the list of affected products on the Defective Products Recall Center website ecalls.sa.

The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to consumer safety and stressed the importance of promptly addressing product defects to prevent potential hazards.


GCC passports departments chiefs hold meeting

Updated 02 July 2025
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GCC passports departments chiefs hold meeting

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi participated in the 39th Meeting of the Directors-General of Passports of the GCC countries, held on Wednesday at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in Riyadh.

During the meeting, he reviewed the latest developments, including the Gulf visa project.

The passport departments of the interior ministries of GCC countries, through a series of joint meetings, are making efforts to launch a unified tourist visa project in the near future, the General Secretariat said in a report.

“Everyone is working as one team to keep pace with technological developments and security requirements in a world characterised by rapid change,” Albudaiwi said.


Saudi FM discusses regional developments in call with US secretary of state

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his US counterpart State Marco Rubio on Wednesday. (AFP)
Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi FM discusses regional developments in call with US secretary of state

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his US counterpart Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

During the call, Prince Faisal and Rubio reviewed US-Saudi relations and ways to enhance the strategic partnership between their countries. The latest regional and international developments were also discussed.