Riyadh, Apr 25: Saudi Arabia announced nine deaths and 1,197 new cases of the COVID-19 virus on Saturday.
Of these cases, 120 were recorded in Madinah, 364 in Makkah, 271 in Jeddah, 170 in Riyadh and 43 in Dammam.
The number of people who had recovered from the coronavirus in the Kingdom increased to 2,214 after 165 patients were reported to have recovered.
A total of 136 people have died of the disease in the Kingdom so far.
Dubai, May 26: An Indian expat, who recently recovered from COVID-19, fell to his death from a building in Dubai, police said.
The 26-year-old Indian national identified as Neelath Muhammed Firdous from Kerala, fell from the seventh floor balcony of his building where he stayed with six others including his uncle, Naushad Ali, 33.
A Dubai Police official confirmed the incident to Gulf News on Monday and said it had been a suicide.
"He was suffering from a mental disorder and there is no criminal suspicions behind his death," said the official.
"The incident happened on Sunday," the official confirmed.
The victim's relative said: "(He) awoke early to perform prayers and everyone was getting on with their daily morning chores when he walked to the balcony and jumped.
"He was suffering from a mental disorder and had been disturbed for some time. He thought everyone was out to attack him and had stopped eating his food as he thought people were feeding him poison. He was refusing to even take water from us."
The victim had tested positive for COVID-19 on April 10. On May 7, he was discharged from a Dubai hospital after clearing all tests.
The relative told Gulf News that he had registered the victim in the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) last month in order to repatriate him, however he was unsuccessful in procuring a ticket.
Dubai, Jul 28: A heart-broken father who lost his 19-year-old son in a tragic car accident during Christmas last year has sponsored the repatriation costs of 61 Indians stranded in the UAE.
The special flydubai repatriation flight, chartered by the All Kerala Colleges Alumni Federation (Akcaf) volunteer group, of which he is a member of, departed from Dubai to Kochi on July 25 carrying 199 passengers.
On this particular flight, I sponsored 55 air tickets," said TN Krishnakumar, a sales and marketing director. He had lost his son Rohit Krishnakumar in a car accident, which also claimed the life of the teen's friend, Sharat Kumar (21).
"All passengers who were registered with the Indian missions were also asked to register on the Akcaf volunteer group website. Each passenger was further vetted, after which we made home visits to ensure that all the applicants were genuinely in need of financial support and repatriation," he said.
Commenting on what inspired him to dedicate himself to community work, Krishankumar said: "When a situation like this comes up, you realise there is no meaning in money. I invested everything I made into my son, and that had crashed in front of my eyes. He was a third-year medical student at the University of Manchester in the UK and had returned home for a vacation when the accident took place. Since then, I have been involved in a lot of social activities. If I do not do this, there is no meaning to my existence."
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Krishnakumar said the group has supported thousands of individuals in need of help. "We supported unemployed people with several hundred bags of grocery kits and other necessary items. We also supported Covid-19 patients by transferring them to the medical facility in Warsan, etc.," he said.
"I come from a very middle-class family. I got a scholarship to study in college, and I studied with the help of taxpayers' money. I have always wanted to give back to society. I have grown immensely in life and now is my time to give back.," he added.
Krishnakumar also sponsors the education of over 1,000 academically gifted school children in Kerala's government-aided schools. He is a life trustee at the College of Engineering Trivandrum Alumni Galaxy Charitable Trust and an active participant towards various educational causes.
Dubai, Apr 13: The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) on Monday announced 172 new recoveries in the country, taking the total recoveries to 852 cases.
"With today's 172 cases, the total number of fully recovered Covid-19 patients has become 852, while three residents of different nationalities were declared dead, taking the total number of deaths to 25," Dr Farida Al Hosani, spokeswoman for the ministry, said.
"We have also carried out up to 23,380 new tests on Monday all over the country."
Also read: UAE residency, visit visas valid until end-2020
Dr Hosani said His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has launched the national home-based testing programme for determined people, be they nationals or residents.
"The program, targeting this important segment of the society who have difficulty doing tests outdoors, is part of the national drive-through testing national program."
Addressing some baseless rumours that are viral on social media, Dr Al Hosani confirmed that no one can fix a date for the peak of infected cases.
"So many studies have affirmed that physical distancing is so critical in reducing not only the number of Cobid-19 new cases but also the infection curve."
Dr Al Hosani advised the public to wear gloves whenever they go out. "However, do not touch your personal stuff when wearing gloves, particularly when using your phone, and safely dispose of them."
It is still so critical to clean your hands with water and soap on a regular basis, she underlined. "Cleaning and washing our hands are much better and safer than wearing gloves."
Wearing one-time disposable surgical gloves is highly advisable, she said. "If not available, hand-made cloth masks can be used but need to be cleaned regularly with water and soap."
Masks should be worn properly covering the nose, mouth and the chin, she pointed out. "Do not touch the internal or external parts of the face masks, while the blue colour side must be always outward."
Priority in drive-through tests are given for those with respiratory issues, senior people, and pregnant women, she said in answer to a question raised by media people.
"If you are developing no Covid-19 infection symptoms and just wish to make sure you are sound, you need to book an appointment, be aware that it will cost you Dh370."
"If developing minor symptoms, the public is urged to stay home and call any of these toll-free numbers for help: (800011111), (8001717), (800342)."
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