Virus barges into Saudi pillars, infects royals: Report

Several members of the Saudi royal family have reportedly contracted the novel coronavirus and as precautionary measures King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been put into quarantine in an island palace near Jeddah.

Hyderabad: The novel coronavirus has infected several members of the Saudi royal family including Riyadh's 70-year old governor Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a US-based newspaper said on Thursday.

Several dozen other members of the royal family have been sickened and Faisal bin is in intensive care, the New York Times reported.

Doctors at the elite hospital that treats Al-Saud clan members are preparing as many as 500 beds for an expected influx of other royals and those closest to them, according to an internal “high alert” sent out by hospital officials, the Times said.

Due to the safety measures, King Salman has been separated in an island palace near Jeddah. Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has also retreated into isolation.

Nearly 150 royals of the kingdom are believed to have infected with the coronavirus.

The pandemic has plunged the world into an unprecedented crisis with widespread infections and skyrocketing fatalities across the globe.