A security person wears a mask as he checks vehicles entering a compound for Saudi Aramco in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Monday, March 9, 2020. (Photo: AP)

RIYADH, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia announced on Friday 17 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the kingdom to 62, the Health Ministry announced in a statement on the Saudi Press Agency.

The ministry indicated that 11 of the 17 new cases are of Egyptian nationality, and they are under quarantine in Mecca, showing no symptoms so far. The 11 infected were from the same group with one Egyptian traveler confirmed earlier.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Monetary Authority announced in a statement on Friday the decision to quarantine all Saudi banknotes from foreign branches as a precautionary step against the novel coronavirus.

It has been coordinating with concerned authorities inside the kingdom and abroad to deal with currencies or other payment means, the statement added.