King Fahd in hospital, Saudi in state of alert

Saudi Arabia declared a state of alert and cancelled all leave of its security forces on Friday after ailing King Fahd was taken to hospital, an Interior Ministry official said.

‘‘The authorities declared a state of alert, cancelled all leave of the security forces and put forces on standby after the King was admitted to hospital,’’ the official said. The ruler of the world’s top oil exporter was taken to King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh on Friday evening with a fever and water in his lungs.

‘‘King Fahd was running a high temperature for three days and this caused concern and required scans, tests and some treatment,’’ a Saudi official said.

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The monarch, in his early 80s, suffered a stroke in 1995. Day-to-day rule of the Gulf Arab state passed to his half-brother Crown Prince Abdullah after his stroke.

Medical sources said the King had a lung infection and that a CAT scan would be performed.