Saudi Arabia took several measures to further control the spread of coronavirus in their region, banning foreigners arriving for the Muslim umrah pilgrimage, Gulf Arab citizens visiting Mecca and Medina, and tourists from at least 25 states where the virus has been found.

State News Agency SPA, recently reported that Saudi Arabia barred citizens and residents of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries from entering the kingdom for 14 days after returning from outside the region due to coronavirus concerns.

Travellers coming from any fellow GCC state - the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar - must spend 14 continuous days there and show no signs of the coronavirus before being granted entry, SPA stated, citing an interior ministry source.

SPA also said that Saudi citizens or residents entering from a GCC country must inform authorities upon arrival in the kingdom of any travel outside the GCC in the preceding 14 days.

The kingdom will cooperate with any GCC country that wishes to apply the same procedures to travellers from the kingdom, it added.

Source : Reuter News