Pakistani surgeon dies fighting coronavirus in Saudi Arabia

Dr Naeem Chaudhry was the first doctor to have lost his life due to Covid-19

Saudi Arabia on Friday mourned the death of a Pakistani surgeon who succumbed to the novel coronavirus after developing health complications, according to a report of Arab News.

Dr Naeem Chaudhry was the first doctor to have lost his life in the kingdom as a result of Covid-19. He worked in the General Surgery Department at Hira General Hospital in Makkah.

The Director General of Makkah Health Affairs Dr Wael Hamzah Mutair said that the healthcare family is saddened by the death, and the city has lost one of its most skilled and prominent general surgeons.

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He paid tribute to Dr Naeem as one of the frontline workers who have played such an important role in the fight against Covid-19 in the kingdom.

Dr Mutair also confirmed that the Pakistani doctor contracted the virus during the course of his work, not from anyone outside the hospital. "His only existing health problem was high blood pressure."

Saudi Arabia reported 2,591 new coronavirus cases and 31 virus-related deaths, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the kingdom to 95,748 and death toll to 642, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, 1,651 people have recovered in the last 24 hours, raising the total number of recoveries in the kingdom to 70,616

Most of the new infections were recorded again in the capital Riyadh followed by Jeddah, Makkah and Hufof with 459, 254, 129 and 102 cases respectively.

The remaining cases were reported in other cities and provinces.

The story originally appeared in Arab News