COVID-19 cases near 285,800 in Saudi Arabia

By Cagri Kosak

ISTANBUL (AA) – More than 1,500 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia in the last 24 hours, bringing the case count to nearly 285,800, official data revealed on Friday.

According to the Health Ministry, 1,567 more infections were registered in the past day and the total number of cases rose to 285,793.

The death toll from coronavirus reached 3,093 with 38 new fatalities, while 248,948 patients have recovered so far.

The coronavirus pandemic has claimed more than 716,000 lives in 188 countries and regions since it originated in China last December. The US, Brazil, India, and Russia are currently the worst-hit countries in the world.

More than 19.16 million COVID-19 cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries exceeding 11.6 million, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz in Ankara