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Friday 15 May 2020

Saudi Arabia to enter full lockdown for five days after Ramadan as coronavirus cases rise





Saudi Arabia has said it will impose a full, 24-hour lockdown during the five-day Eid al-Fitr festival,
which falls at the end of Ramadan, due to rising coronavirus infections.

The curfew will be imposed from May 23 to May 27, following the end of the fasting period for Muslims, the Saudi interior ministry said in a statement.



The kingdom has reported some of the highest number of coronavirus cases in the Gulf region and is now trying to slow the spread of the disease at a time when millions of Muslims will be celebrating the end of their fast.

Most parts of the kingdom were put under full lockdown following the outbreak, but last month the government relaxed the curfew between the hours of 9am and 5pm.

Shopping centres and retailers have been allowed to reopen, except in major hotspots including the holy city of Mecca, where confirmed cases have substantially increased, despite a stringent lockdown.


The Saudi health ministry says that the number of coronavirus deaths has risen to 264, while the rate of infections has risen to 42,925, while 15,257 people have recovered.

In March, Saudi Arabia suspended the year-round "umrah" pilgrimage over fears of the disease spreading in Islam's holiest cities. It also urged Muslims to postpone making plans for their Hajj pilgrimage.

Authorities are yet to announce whether they will proceed with this year's hajj - scheduled for late July.

Last year, some 2.5 million Muslims travelled to Saudi Arabia from across the world to participate in the hajj, which Muslims are obliged to perform at least once during their lifetime.

The Arab world's biggest economy has also closed cinemas and restaurants and halted flights as it attempts to contain the virus.

King Salman has warned of a "more difficult" fight ahead against the coronavirus, as the Kingdom faces the combined threats of lockdown and crashing oil prices.

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