(Riyadh) Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, 88, suffers from a lung infection and is undergoing treatment with antibiotics, the Royal Court said on Sunday in its latest health update of the monarch.
Earlier in the day, the court said the king was suffering from “a fever and pain in the joints”, saying the treating team had “decided to carry out examinations”.
The examinations “revealed a lung infection” and the doctors decided “on a treatment program consisting of antibiotics until the inflammation disappeared,” the Court said in a statement published by the press agency. Saudi official.
King Salman bin Abdulaziz has been at the head of the world’s largest crude exporter since 2015, even though the country is run on a daily basis by his 38-year-old son, Mohammed bin Salman, who was named crown prince in 2017.
The health of the aging monarch is rarely discussed in the Gulf kingdom. However, the Royal Court revealed in April that he had been admitted to King Faisal Specialist Hospital for “routine check-ups”, before leaving later that day.
Before that, his last hospitalization was in May 2022. Admitted for medical examinations, including a colonoscopy, he spent a week in the hospital “to rest”, the Saudi agency SPA reported at the time.
In recent years, King Salman has become increasingly rare in public, fueling rumors about his state of health.
He underwent gallbladder surgery in July 2020, and was hospitalized in March 2022 for “medical tests” and to replace his pacemaker battery.
Before ascending the throne, King Salman served as governor of Riyadh for decades and as defense minister.
His reign was marked by important social and economic reforms, carried out by his son who wants to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil.
Prince Mohamed bin Salman also led a campaign of repression which allowed him to consolidate his power, according to analysts.