As many as 150 royals in Saudi Arabia are believed to have contracted the deadly coronavirus which has infected at least 3287 people in the kingdom.
According to The New York Times, Senior Saudi Prince and Governor of Riyadh Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is in his 70s, is in intensive care after contracting COVID-19. King Salman, 84, has secluded himself in an island palace near the city of Jeddah on the Red Sea.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his son have already retreated with many of his ministers to the remote site known as Neom.
Doctors at an elite hospital that treats royals are preparing 500 more beds for an expected influx of patients. The King Faisal Specialist Hospital, sent out a message to senior doctors that any sick staff members would now be treated at a less elite hospital to make room for the royals.
"We don’t know how many cases we will get but high alert,” the message stated. It all instructed that 'all chronic patients to be moved out ASAP' and that only top urgent cases will be accepted.
In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country, Saudi Arabia has shut down pilgrimages of Mecca and Medina. The kingdom has also suspended all flight operations.