The battle against Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Public health perspective

Emerging infectious diseases are of great concern to public health, as highlighted by the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Such diseases are of particular danger during mass gathering and mass influx events, as large crowds of people in close proximity to each other creates optimal opportunities for disease transmission. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are two countries that have witnessed mass gatherings due to the arrival of Syrian refugees and the annual Hajj season. The mass migration of people not only brings exotic diseases to these regions but also brings new diseases back to their own countries, e.g., the outbreak of MERS in South Korea. Many emerging pathogens originate in bats, and more than 30 bat species have been identified in these two countries. Some of those bat species are known to carry viruses that cause deadly diseases in other parts of the world, such as the rabies virus and coronaviruses. However, little is known about bats and the pathogens they carry in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Here, the importance of enhanced surveillance of bat-borne infections in Jordan and Saudi Arabia is emphasized, promoting the awareness of bat-borne diseases among the general public and building up infrastructure and capability to fill the gaps in public health preparedness to prevent future pandemics.

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Erratum: Khan, A.A., et al. Survival and Estimation of Direct Medical Costs of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Short Title: COVID-19 Survival and Cost in Saudi Arabia). Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 7458

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17249458 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (24) ◽

pp. 9458

Author(s):

Anas A. Khan ◽

Yazed AlRuthia ◽

Bander Balkhi ◽

Sultan M. Alghadeer ◽

Mohamad-Hani Temsah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Medical Costs ◽

Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽

Direct Medical Costs

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A Saudi Arabian Public Health Perspective of Tuberculosis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph181910042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (19) ◽

pp. 10042

Author(s):

Abdullah A. Saati ◽

Muhammad Khurram ◽

Hani Faidah ◽

Abdul Haseeb ◽

Marcello Iriti

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Migrant Workers ◽

Sacred Sites ◽

Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽

Public Health Perspective ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Public Health Challenges ◽

Spreading Potential ◽

Large Congregations ◽

Global Health Challenge

Tuberculosis is a global health challenge due to its spreading potential. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) faces a challenge in the spread of tuberculosis from migrant workers, but the foremost threat is the huge number of pilgrims who travel to visit sacred sites of the Islamic world located in the holy cities of Makkah and Al Madina. Pilgrims visit throughout the year but especially in the months of Ramadan and Zul-Hijah. The rise of resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an established global phenomenon that makes such large congregations likely hotspots in the dissemination and spread of disease at a global level. Although very stringent and effective measures exist, the threat remains due to the ever-changing dynamics of this highly pathogenic disease. This overview primarily highlights the current public health challenges posed by this disease to the Saudi health system, which needs to be highlighted not only to the concerned authorities of KSA, but also to the concerned global quarters since the pilgrims and migrants come from all parts of the world with a majority coming from high tuberculosis-burdened countries.

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Preparedness and Response to COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia: Lessons Learned from MERS-CoV

10.20944/preprints202004.0018.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Abdullah Algaissi ◽

Naif Alharbi ◽

Mazen Hassanain ◽

Anwar Hashem

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Virus Entry ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽

Health Measures ◽

Health Authorities ◽

Slow Virus ◽

Precautionary Measures

Nearly three months have passed since the emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which caused the rapidly spreading Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To date, there have been more than 550,000 confirmed cases and more than 25,000 deaths globally caused by COVID-19. Chinese health authorities, where the virus emerged, have taken prompt strict public health measures to control and prevent the spread of the outbreak. In the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unprecedented precautionary strict measures were applied to slow virus entry and to mitigate the risk of the outbreak. Here, we review the experience learned during the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) epidemic in Saudi Arabia, which has been in the country since 2012, and is expected to have helped the country to be well prepared for the current COVID-19 pandemic. We also discuss the country readiness, improvement in research and development, and the unprecedented rapid precautionary measures that have been taken by the Saudi government thus far.

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