Riyadh – Mubasher: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has authorized new tools to scan suspected infections with the new Coronavirus.
Laboratory reagents will be applied as a diagnostic test for the new virus, using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, which detects the virus’s DNA in saliva or mucous membrane samples.
The speed of these laboratory tests will help enhance the efficiency of the quarantine precautions for the kingdom’s citizens, residents, and visitors.
This comes in line with efforts to combat the outbreak of the new coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan before spreading to other Chinese territories, as well as 27 other countries.
Around 28,300 cases have been recorded with the virus, resulting in 565 deaths, while 1,286 patients have recovered.
Earlier today, the Saudi General Directorate of Passports officially suspended all travel to China for Saudi citizens and residents in the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia recently announced that all travellers coming to the kingdom are required to disclose whether they have visited China two weeks prior to their arrival.
