Saudi King Salman Undergoes Tests for Lung Infection, Royal Court Says

Saudi King Salman attends the G20 Leaders' Summit via videoconference at the royal palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 30, 2021. Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP

Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud underwent medical tests for a lung infection on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the royal court.

“May God protect the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and grant him health and wellness,” the royal court said in a statement released by the state-run Saudi Press Agency on Oct. 6.

The royal court did not provide further details about the king’s health or how long the medical tests will take.

The 88-year-old king has been ruling Saudi Arabia since 2015 and holds absolute power in the country. Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest producer of crude oil. It exported $236 billion worth of oil in 2022.

In 2017, the king named his son Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince, making him next in line for the throne. Salman has also empowered the 39-year-old crown prince to oversee the kingdom’s affairs.

In August, King Salman issued a royal decree allowing the cabinet to convene even in the absence of the king, the crown prince, or the deputies.

Under the decree, any such meeting shall be chaired by the eldest cabinet member who is a descendant of King Abdulaziz Al, who founded Saudi Arabia in 1932.

On Sept. 24, King Salman himself chaired a cabinet session, the state media reported.

The king also underwent medical tests for a lung infection in May after experiencing joint pain and a high temperature, according to the state media, which said he was treated with antibiotics.

Prince Mohammed postponed an official visit to Japan in May over concerns about the king’s health, but he later released a statement reassuring the public about his father’s well-being. A month before that, the king went to the hospital for what the state media described as “a routine check-up.”

In 2022, the state media reported that Salman was admitted to the hospital to replace the battery in his heart pacemaker. He also underwent medical tests and a colonoscopy that year, but no abnormalities were found, according to the state media.

The king had surgery in 2020 to remove his gallbladder after he suffered inflammation and was discharged from the hospital after a 10-day stay, according to the state media.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.