Saudi Arabia virus cases top 3,500, Bahrain near 1,000

By Adnan al-Hussein

RIYADH/MANAMA (AA) - The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia crossed 3,500 and Bahrain’s tally moved closer to 1,000 on Friday.

The COVID-19 death tolls in the neighboring countries also increased to 47 and six, respectively.

Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry confirmed 364 new cases, bringing the total to 3,651, including 685 recoveries.

Three COVID-19 patients died over the past 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 47, the ministry said.

Bahrain recorded its sixth fatality due to the coronavirus, while 26 new cases raised the total to 917.

The country’s Health Ministry said 11 more COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals over the past 24 hours, raising the number of recoveries to 530.

Since appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions, with Europe and the U.S. now the worst-affected areas in the world.

More than 1.65 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll exceeding 100,000, and recoveries at almost 369,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the U.S.

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat