Correction, November 1, 2026: An earlier version said in its opening that free treatment was ordered for all citizens; the royal order covered citizens and residents, including people in breach of residency, labour or border rules, as the article's second paragraph states. The figure of 1,453 refers to confirmed cases.
The Saudi Royal Family has ordered free treatment for coronavirus patients to be provided to all citizens and residents at both government and private health facilities across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Saudi health minister, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, announced the order that was issued by King Salman at a press conference in Riyadh today, emphasising that the free treatment extends to all citizens and residents – even those without a valid visa or work permit.
The announcement was welcomed by citizens and journalists and puts Saudi Arabia into the majority of nations who now offer Coronavirus treatment for free. Treatment in the worst effected nation of the USA is still not free and can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $250,000 dollars.
The infection rate in Saudi Arabia is around 10% per day, mirroring most other effected nations. The total number of confirmed cases in the Kingdom reached 1,453 on Monday, with 8 confirmed deaths and 115 recoveries.
There are so far no recorded cases within the Saudi Royal Family, extra precautions are being taken by all, especially around elderly members of the family including King Salman.
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