Saudi Arabia, Under Nighttime Curfew, Reports First Pandemic Death

Saudi Arabia says a 51-year-old citizen of Afghanistan has died as a result of coronavirus, becoming the kingdom’s first death in the pandemic. The spokesman for the Saudi Health Ministry said the man died on Monday night after arriving at an emergency room in the western city of Medina. As of Tuesday, Saudi Arabia had 767 confirmed cases, an increase of more than 36% over Monday’s figure and the highest of any Gulf state. Thousands of people are in quarantine. On Monday evening, Riyadh imposed emergency measures scheduled to last for at least 21 days, including a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew punishable by a fine of 10,000 rials, the equivalent of $2,666. On Friday, health authorities closed down Riyadh’s King Faisal Hospital, one of the largest in the kingdom, after an anesthetist tested positive for coronavirus. The facility, which treats members of the royal family, was scheduled to reopen on Tuesday.