Saudi Arabia Imposes 24-Hour Curfew in Mecca and Medina

On Thursday, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia imposed a 24-hour curfew in Mecca and Medina, starting today until further notice in a step aimed to curb the spread of coronavirus, according to a statement by the Ministry of Interior.

In a statement, the ministry added that the residents in both cities are advised to leave their homes only for necessary reasons such as buying food and for medical between the hours of 6 a.m. till 3 p.m.

It added that the commercial activities, excluding pharmacies and grocery stores, will be totally suspended in the two holy cities.

Last week, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz approved measures that placed Riyadh, Mecca and Medina on lockdown, which is still in effect. Residents are still banned from entering or exiting the cities.

The ministry said curfew exemptions still apply to those in vital public and private sectors such as security, military and media. Those who work in health services are also excluded from the curfew.

On Wednesday, the kingdom confirmed 157 new coronavirus cases, raising the total number of cases in the Kingdom to 1,720, according to the Ministry of Health.

It also reported six new coronavirus deaths, raising the total number of deaths in the Kingdom to 16.

The ministry announced that a total of 264 people have recovered from the deadly virus.

The ministry also urged all the citizens to stick to the lockdown and avoid gathering.

More than 800,000 persons around the world have been infected by the virus, which claimed the lives of more than 39,000 worldwide. It also hit a number of top political figures around the world.

On Friday, UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus, as the outbreak spreads across the country.

Johnson confirmed the news in a video posted on Twitter, saying: “Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.”

He continued: “I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus. Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives”

The announcement comes days after Prince Charles was confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus.

Several Arab countries have tightened restrictions on movement and travel, with the aim of curbing the spread of the Coronavirus, and some have pledged billions of dollars in economic stimulus programs to reduce the economic repercussions of the crisis.

On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus a global pandemic on March 11 as the new virus has rapidly spread to more than 500,000 people from Asia to the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

The virus caused complete paralysis in all sports activities worldwide, as many countries around the world suspended all the sporting activities due to concerns over the spread of the virus.

More cases of the virus, which causes respiratory disease Covid-19, continue to emerge, with outbreaks in South Korea, Italy, and Iran.

The data collected so far showed that at least 804,248 people are infected and about 39,068 people have died.