Saudi Arabia Reopens Holy Mosques after Coronavirus Closure

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) re-opened early morning Friday the two holy mosques, the Grand Mosque in Mecca,  and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, Al-Ekhbariya state TV reported.

The Saudi authorities had temporarily closed the holy sites on Thursday for sterilization amid the coronavirus outbreak. This extraordinary measure is the first in a decade.

Furthermore, the authorities said prayer will only be permitted from inside the mosque; however, the courtyard around the Kaaba— known as the mataf— and the pathway between "al-Safa" and "al-Marwah" will remain closed for the duration of the suspension of the Umrah pilgrimage.

Saudi Arabia suspended Wednesday the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca for its citizens and residents in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Kingdom has also previously placed a temporary ban on Umrah pilgrims in an attempt to ensure public safety by preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s health ministry has reported three more cases of coronavirus in the Kingdom, brings the total number of coronavirus cases in the Kingdom to five.

The state TV shared on Twitter a video of the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina after they were re-opened early morning on Friday.

https://twitter.com/alekhbariyatv/status/1235749807832158213?s=20

Moreover, the Saudi authorities have postponed the Riyadh Travel Fair until the beginning of September 2020, after consultation with government authorities, partners and travel industry experts around the world- another precautionary measure taken to contain the outbreak.

The Riyadh Travel Fair- the largest travel and tourism exhibition & congress in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-  is held annually for three days.

It draws tens of thousands of visitors and delegates from countries and regions across the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, Australasia, and Europe.

Many leading travel and tourism companies and major industry players from Saudi Arabia and the region gather to meet with tourism promotion authorities.