Saudi King Salman will receive treatment for a lung inflammation at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah, according to the state news agency on Sunday. This comes after he underwent medical tests.
The royal court stated that the 88-year-old king will be treated with antibiotics until the inflammation subsides.
Due to King Salman's health issue, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto Saudi leader, postponed a Monday visit to Japan to be with his father, as confirmed by Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi. The now-canceled visit was scheduled from May 20 to the 23rd.
The 88-year-old monarch has been in fragile health for a long time, with his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), acting as the de facto ruler of the kingdom for years.
On Sunday, King Salman underwent medical tests at the royal clinics at Al Salam Palace due to “high temperature and joint pain,” as reported by the Saudi state news agency.
King Salman was last admitted to the hospital in April for a routine checkup, as reported by state TV at the time. As the custodian of Islam's holiest sites, he became ruler of the world's top oil exporter in 2015 after more than 2-1/2 years as the crown prince and deputy premier.
His illness comes at a critical time, coinciding with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's meeting with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in the kingdom for talks on a strategic agreement between Washington and Riyadh.
