Saudi Arabia imposes 24-hour curfew in Mecca and Medina to restrict COVID-19 transmission

Amid Coronavirus pandemic which has gripped entire world and brought it to a near standstill, Saudi Arabia on Thursday has imposed a 24-hour curfew in Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina to combat spre of COVID-19. virus has claimed 16 lives and infected more than 1,700 people in Gulf kingdom. In a statement on Thursday, Interior Ministry stated that essential services including emergency workers and access to medical care would be exempted from curfew. statement also ded that cars in those cities' residential districts may only carry one passenger to restrict transmission of virus. 

Saudi urges Muslims to defer Haj plan

Earlier on Tuesday, state h also asked Muslims to put off ir plans for annual Haj pilgrim. It has also halted international flights, shut most public places and suspended year-round Umrah pilgrim. province of Qatif, where Saudi Arabia's first coronavirus cases were reported last month among Shi’ite Muslim pilgrims returning from Iran, has been on lockdown for nearly four weeks.

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Shortly after oil prices in international market came crashing down, Finance Minister said that Saudi Arabia will cut down its this year's budget by around five per cent. kingdom is reportedly facing heat due to current lockdown because of coronavirus. Saudi Arabia shut down malls, cinemas, restaurants, and or public places in order to prevent spre of virus. 

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Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of Ecomy and Planning, Mohamm Al-Jaan, in a statement released by Saudi Press ncy, stated that government worked on preliminary measures to ensure provision of financial requirements necessary to implement preventive and direct measures to deal with consequences of epidemic and limit its spre to protect government installations and ncies and continuity of ir work. 

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