It was the second time in less than a month that the Saudi government publicly commented on his health
Riyadh:
Saudi King Salman has a lung infection and is undergoing a treatment program with antibiotics, the Royal Court said on Sunday in the latest update on the aging monarch’s health.
Earlier in the day, the court said King Salman was suffering from “high temperature” and joint pain and would undergo medical tests at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah.
It was the second time in less than a month that the Saudi government publicly commented on the 88-year-old king’s health.
Tests on Sunday revealed a lung infection, and doctors decided on a treatment program consisting of antibiotics until the inflammation cleared, according to the latest royal statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
King Salman has been on the throne since 2015, although his son, Mohammed bin Salman, 38, was appointed crown prince in 2017 and acts as day-to-day ruler.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude oil exporter, has tried for years to quash speculation about King Salman’s health.
The monarch’s health is rarely discussed, but the Royal Court announced in April that he had been admitted to King Faisal Specialist Hospital for “routine examinations”. Later that day he left the hospital.
Before that, his most recent hospitalization was in May 2022, when he underwent a colonoscopy and stayed just over a week for other tests and “some time to rest,” SPA reported at the time.
In 2017, Riyadh dismissed reports and mounting speculation that the king was planning to abdicate in favor of Prince Mohammed.
King Salman underwent surgery to remove his gallbladder in 2020.
He was also hospitalized in March 2022 to undergo what state media described as “successful medical tests” and to have his pacemaker battery replaced.
King Salman was governor of Riyadh for decades and also minister of defense.
His reign as king was marked by ambitious social and economic reforms largely managed by his son, who is trying to position Saudi Arabia for an eventual post-oil crisis future.
Prince Mohammed has also overseen an intense crackdown on dissent, which analysts say has helped him consolidate power.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
