Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia cases pass 35,000

Qatar at 17,000 has the second-highest Covid-19 cases in the GCC

Workers clean and sterilise the roof of Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, amid the coronavirus pandemic on April 21, 2020. Saudi Press Agency via Reuters

A manager wearing protective gloves checks the temprature of a worker amid the coronavirus pandemic at a restaurant, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on April 26, 2020. Reuters

Restaurant workers wearing protective suits walk to disinfect the restaurant's cars to prepare them for food delivery during the month of Ramadan on April 19, 2020. Reuters

Workers clean and sterilise the roof of Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah during the month of Ramadan on April 21, 2020. Saudi Press Agency handout via Reuters

A worker cleans and sterilises the roof of Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Saudi city of Makkah amid the outbreak of the coronavirus on April 21, 2020. Saudi Press Agency handout via Reuters

A man loads grocery bags on to his vehicle amid a nationwide curfew to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the Saudi capital Riyadh on April 13, 2020. AFP

Customers queue outside a supermarket while maintaining social distancing during a nationwide curfew to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the Saudi capital Riyadh on April 13, 2020, ahead of the month of Ramadan. AFP

A Saudi man walks past a poster depicting Saudi King Salman, after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on March 25, 2020. Reuters

An aerial view shows the Grand Mosque and the Makkah Tower, deserted on the first day of Ramadan, in the Saudi city of Makkah, on April 24, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus crisis AFP

A Saudi nurse checks a patient's temperature at a mobile clinic in Ajyad Almasafi district of Makkah on April 7, 2020 amid the Covid-19. pandemic. AFP

An aerial view shows deserted streets in the Saudi holy city of Makkah. AFP

Worshippers circumambulate the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP

Employees of the Covid-19 coronavirus disease operations room of the Saudi Red Crescent. AFP

Saudi Arabia's Covid-19 cases topped 35,000 on Friday as the kingdom enforced a ban on gatherings of more than five people and set large fines for violators.

Officials reported 1,701 new cases, taking the total to 35,432.

The kingdom has recorded a daily average of more than 1,000 new cases since mid-April.

Despite the rising cases, the kingdom’s death toll has remained relatively low, increasing by 10 on Friday to 229.

Saudi Arabia has placed tough measures on the public to curb the spread of the pandemic.

The Interior Ministry said on Thursday that violators would be fined up to 100,000 Saudi riyals (Dh98,000) for any form of non-family gathering with more than five people and that the fines would increase for repeat offenders.

A dedicated police force is being established to enforce the new rules.

Among other GCC countries, Qatar recorded 1,311 on Friday, taking the total to 17,819 – the second-highest the region.

The country did not report any new deaths, with the toll remaining at 12.

Doha's Health Ministry said 84 people have recovered during the past 24 hours, taking the total to 2,370.

The ministry said 3,963 people were tested for the virus over the last day, taking the total to 120,458 tests.

Kuwait reported 641 new cases and three more deaths from Covid-19 on Friday, bringing the infection figures to 7,208, with 47 fatalities.

The number of recoveries rose by 85 to 2,466, the health ministry said.

Oman reported 154 coronavirus cases on Friday taking the total to 3,112.

The Oman Ministry of Health said 15 people have died while 1,025 people have recovered.

In Bahrain,  205 cases reported on Friday took the total to 4,404.

The Health Ministry said that 27 patients have recovered during the past 24 hours, bringing the recoveries to 2,027.

The country has recorded eight deaths.

The health ministry said that 170,719 people have been tested, including 6206 carried out in the past 24 hours.