Saudi Arabia Takes Additional Steps To Contain COVID-19

Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, Feb 5 (NNN-SPA) – The interior minister of Saudi Arabia, announced yesterday, additional steps to contain COVID-19, including closing cinemas and indoor entertainment centres.

Shopping malls, gyms and sports centres will also be shut down for 10 days, which could be extended.

The minister also announced the suspension of dining services in restaurants and cafes, for the same period.

All events and parties, including weddings and corporate meetings, in banquet halls, wedding halls or hotels, will be suspended for 30 days.

The decisions, effective at 10.00 p.m. local time last night were made, to control an increase in COVID-19 infections, in some regions of Saudi Arabia.

To prevent the outbreak, Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday, a temporary ban on the entry of citizens from 20 countries, namely Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Pakistan, Brazil, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Lebanon, Egypt, India, and Japan.

The Saudi health ministry recorded, yesterday, 303 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number to 369,248.

The ministry also reported 297 more recoveries and three more fatalities, bringing the recovered cases to 360,697, and the death toll to 6,389.