JEDDAH: The protocol for patients whose treatment requires travel outside the Kingdom has been approved by the Saudi authorities, the Ministry of Health announced on Friday. Patients wishing to travel abroad for treatment at their own expense need to meet certain conditions set by the ministry — firstly, by obtaining an acceptance of treatment from a hospital or specialized center in a medically developed country. Secondly, the patient’s case should be one that requires treatment abroad and cannot be dealt with in Saudi Arabia, according to a recent medical report approved by the Ministry of Health. The case should also meet medical conditions approved by the Saudi Supreme Medical Commission to receive treatment abroad. Patients who are referred to hospitals outside the Kingdom at the expense of the state must obtain a royal order or a resolution issued by the Supreme Medical Commission, and can be accompanied by a maximum of two people. However, the commission can decide on the number of companions based on each case. The Ministry of Health said that it will study the applications and electronically forward those accepted to the General Directorate of Passports at the Ministry of Interior to obtain the necessary permits. All applications can be completed digitally via the “Absher” government platform. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia announced on Friday 26 new COVID-19-related death; the death toll now stands at 4,625. There were 472 new cases reported in the Kingdom, meaning 332,329 people have now contracted the disease. There were 12,068 active cases, and 1,043 of them are in critical condition. According to the Ministry of Health, Makkah recorded the highest number of cases in the Kingdom with 86, while Madinah reported 46 and Dammam 32. “Females represent 41 percent of the newly reported cases, while the elderly make up 4 percent, children 12 percent and adults 84 percent,” the Ministry of Health said. In addition, 843 more patients have recovered from COVID-19, taking the total number of recoveries in the Kingdom to 315,636. Saudi Arabia has so far conducted 6,275,557 PCR tests, with 38,698 carried out in the past 24 hours.