Saudi Arabia expecting 200,000 Coronavirus cases within weeks - health minister

Saudi Arabia is expecting up to 200,000 coronavirus cases within weeks, the country's health minister, Tawfiq al-Rabiah said today.

'Within the next few weeks, studies predict the number of infections will range from a minimum of 10,000 to a maximum of 200,000,' said minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah, according to state media.

Several Saudi cities including the capital Riyadh, Tabuk, Dammam, Dhahran,  Hofuf, Tabuk, Dammam, Dhahran and Hofuf  are under a 24-hour curfew, as well as the regions of Jeddah, Taif, Qatif and Khobar as they hope to contain or halt the spread of Coronavirus.

The Gulf kingdom currently has 2,523 cases, the highest number in the Middle East apart from Iran, and 38 deaths.

The United States is the only country in the world with more than 200,000 cases of Coronavirus, while Spain and Italy have over 100,000.