186 Indians test positive for coronavirus in Saudi Arabia

Jeddah: Two Indians have died of Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia so far, while a total of 186 Indians had tested positive for coronavirus in the kingdom, Indian Ambassador Dr Ausaf Sayeed said on Wednesday. The condition of most of the infected Indians was stable, he said, in a virtual media conference from Riyadh.

Stating that the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia was working to address the concerns of the Indian expatriate community amidst growing cases of Covid-19 in the oil rich Gulf nation, he said Indian missions in the country were working round- the-clock to reach out to the community.

“The Ministry of Health informed us about deaths of two Indians, one in Riyadh where a 29-year-old youth succumbed to the disease and another in Madinah. Both were from Kerala.

The Ambassador said the Indian missions in Kingdom have roped in several Indian doctors and created WhatsApp groups to address their health



concerns and to liaise with local health authorities. “The Indian embassy can only work within the framework of local authorities,” he emphasized.

Dr Ausaf Sayeed revealed that embassy was exploring the possibilities of converting Indian community-run schools into quarantine facilities, if necessary, and also with due approval from the Ministry of Health.

The Ambassador said that India’s OYO Hotels group had also offered some of its hotel facilities to be converted into quarantine centres.

Answering the issue of Indian schools’ fee payment, which was raised by several scribes, the ambassador said the Indian higher education board will be meeting in the next couple of days and will assess the situation. Since many employees are not receiving salaries, some parents are seeking relief in school fee payment for their wards.