RIYADH: Saudi Arabia confirmed two new COVID-19 related deaths on Tuesday, raising the total number of fatalities to 8,767. The Ministry of Health confirmed 49 new cases reported in the Kingdom in the previous 24 hours, meaning 548,018 people have now contracted the disease. Of the total number of cases, 90 remain in critical condition. According to the ministry, the highest number of cases were recorded in the capital Riyadh with 16, followed by Jeddah with nine, Jubail with three, and Makkah and Al-Darb confirmed two cases each. The health ministry also announced that 38 patients had recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries in the Kingdom to 537,037. Over 44.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered since the Kingdom’s immunization campaign started. More than 20.8 million people have been fully vaccinated. Health ministry spokesman Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly praised the active role of the community in complying to the precautionary measures, which has led to a significant decrease in the number of critical cases and new daily infections throughout the Kingdom. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce said it carried out 46,887 inspection visits during the past two weeks, to ensure that commercial establishments were adhering to coronavirus preventative measures. Authorities recorded 742 violations. A fine of up to SR100,000 ($26,660) is imposed on first time offenders and the fine is doubled for repeat offenders and the facility risks closure. Saudi municipalities have also ramped up efforts to monitor compliance with health and safety measures. The municipality of the Eastern Province carried out 1,340 inspection tours of commercial centers and facilities on Monday, and found 78 businesses in violation of the precautionary measures. Officials have also called on the public to report any suspected health breaches by phoning the 940 call center number or contacting authorities through the Balady app. The coronavirus pandemic has affected over 242 million people globally and the death toll has reached around 4.92 million.