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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Expands Partial Lockdown, Halts Entry and Exit Into Jeddah

Saudi Arabia halted entry and exit into Jeddah governorate on Sunday, as it recorded four new fatalities from the coronavirus.

The Gulf Arab region has taken drastic measures to try to combat the disease.

The Saudi health ministry spokesman told a news conference on Sunday that the Kingdom has recorded four new fatalities from the coronavirus, bringing its death toll to eight.

It has also registered 96 new infections, taking its total to 1,299.

Saudi Arabia imposed entry and exit bans on Jeddah, after doing so for Riyadh, Makkah and Medina last week, state news SPA reported.

The kingdom late on Saturday extended indefinitely its suspension of international passenger flights and a bar on workplace attendance in both public and private sectors.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have imposed partial curfews and the UAE has put in place an overnight curfew until April 5 under a nationwide campaign to sterilize streets and public venues.

SPA reported the commitment of citizens and residents to curfew order, issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to limit the spread of the virus.

Security forces deployed on the roads of Jeddah Governorate to implement curfew order to safeguard the health and safety of citizens and residents.

UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi issued a statement detailing coronavirus-related fines, including 50,000 dirhams ($13,613) for non-compliance with home quarantine orders and 3,000 dirhams for individuals violating curfew.

The UAE, the region's tourism and business hub, has also halted passenger flights at its main airports, except for evacuation trips. Kuwait has done the same.

Oman, where a suspension of international passenger flights went into force on Sunday, documented 15 more infections and Kuwait reported 20 new cases, taking the total in the six Gulf Arab states to over 3,100, with 11 deaths.

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