The spread of the coronavirus has been unrelenting as it makes its way across the globe. Among those infected include celebrities, state leaders, professional athletes and members of multiple royal families. With Prince Albert of Monaco and Price Charles of the UK having contracted it, news has now broke that the coronavirus is widespread among the Saudi royal family.
According to The New York Times, Saudi Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the governor of the capital Riyadh, is in intensive care after contracting the virus. And it looks like he’s not the only one. While Prince Faisal is the most high profile case, a news report says that there are as many as 150 members of the Saudi royal family that have been infected with the coronavirus in recent weeks.
In a “high alert” sent to senior doctors, which was later obtained by the Times, an elite hospital that’s specially meant to treat royals has been instructed to prepare 500 more beds for an expected influx of patients. At this point, if you’re wondering why it seems like the Saudi royal family is so big, it’s because it is.
The Saudi royal family is estimated to have about 15,000 members. Apparently, thousands of them travel on a regular basis to countries in Europe. It is believed that this is how the virus is spreading amongst the royal family. According to The Times, a source close to the situation has said that so far, it’s only members of the lower branches of the royal family who’ve been infected.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is home to about 33 million people and has thus far reported 3,287 cases, 44 deaths and 666 recoveries. Most of the cases in the country are being reported in migrant labour camps and in the slums around Mecca and Medina, but given how infectious the virus is, the higher ranking members are taking no chances.
King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have retreated into isolation to avoid the outbreak. The 84-year-old king has resorted to secluding himself on an island palace near Jeddah for his own safety, while the crown prince has also moved to a remote site on the Red Sea coast.
Hopefully, both remain in good health as they wait for the curve to flatten.
