The Saudi authorities have banned travel in the cities of Makkah and Madinah, coinciding with the registration of five deaths and 165 new cases of coronavirus around the country, two days after the authorities called on countries of the world to wait before planning the pilgrimage.
The official agency quoted a source in the Saudi Ministry of Interior as saying that it was decided to stop roaming around the cities of Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah all over a period of 24 hours a day, starting today, Thursday, until further notice.
The residents of the two cities are allowed to leave their homes to meet the necessary needs only, such as health care and catering, within the neighborhood of the residential neighborhood in which they reside, during the period from six in the morning until three in the afternoon, with mobility restricted to one person only in addition to the driver of the vehicle, to reduce contact with minimum.
The prevention of entry and exit does not include groups excluded from employees of the vital sectors in the public and private sectors, whose actions require their continued performance during the prevention period.
It was also decided to prohibit the practice of any commercial activities within the residential neighborhoods of Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, except for pharmacies, stores selling foodstuffs, gas stations and banking services.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Ministry of Health announced the registration of five deaths and 165 new injuries, bringing the total to 21 deaths and 1,885 injuries, while 64 patients recovered, increasing the number of similar recoveries to 328.
He called on Saudi Minister of Hajj Muhammad Salih Binten on Tuesday for the world to wait before making any plans for the pilgrimage until the vision about the Corona epidemic becomes clear, explaining that his country's authorities returned the sums to those who obtained an Umrah visa and did not perform Umrah.
On March 18, the Saudi authorities suspended prayers in the squares of the Two Holy Mosques to limit the spread of Corona, and on the fourth of last month, they decided to temporarily suspend the performance of Umrah for citizens and residents in the Kingdom, a week after they suspended pilgrims from all over the world.