Published 16:46 IST, February 4th 2021
Saudi Arabia introduces new restrictions, pauses entertainment stream amid COVID-19
Saudi Arabia decided to tighten the existing restrictions as they imposed a travel ban from 20 countries. Also, all the parties and weddings were suspended.
- World News
- 2 min read
Many Gulf States on Thursday, February 4, launched few new restrictions in a bid to battle the novel coronavirus. In Saudi Arabia, the authorities decided to tighten the existing restrictions as they imposed a travel ban from 20 countries. Also, all the parties and weddings were suspended. The government has also shut the cinemas and suspended dine-in services at restaurants.
All the shopping malls, gymnasiums and other locations have been shut for a period of 10 days. The authorities have also warned that these new restrictions can be extended. The kingdom has also ordered cemeteries to ensure that graveside funerals have a distance of 100 meters between them. According to the reports by AP, the state-run Saudi Press Agency blamed the new procedures on “the emergence of indicators of an increase in the epidemic curve in some regions of Saudi Arabia that were caused by lax implementation of the preventive and precautionary measures and approved protocols”.
International travel banned
Recently, the kingdom suspended the visas for international air travel from at least 20 countries, effective 9 pm local time Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Interior’s statement. In an effort to stem the spread of the mutant coronavirus strains, the kingdom issued a temporary ban advisory including the overseas travellers that will enter the nation 14 days preceding the implementation of the restriction, the interior ministry added. “The Ministry of Interior announced that a temporary suspension for entry to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [from 20 countries has been enforced on non-citizens, diplomats, health practitioners, and their families,” the Saudi Press Agency said.
In another significant development, Saudi Arabia's health minister, Tawfiq al-Rabiah said that complacency around coronavirus restrictions had led to a surge in the cases. This comes after the kingdom recorded 270 new infections in just 24 hours. “We have observed in the past days a noticeable increase and a continuous rise in the number of infection with the Coronavirus, and among the most important causes of it were gatherings of all kinds, and if the complacency continues in gatherings and the failure to implement preventive measures, we will enter the danger of the second wave, God forbid”, the Minister wrote on his official Twitter handle.
Also Read: US Condemns Attack On Saudi Arabia
(Image Credits: AP/Pixabay)
Updated 16:44 IST, February 4th 2021