RIYADH, 13 May 2020:
Saudi Arabia said a 24-hour curfew will be effect during the period of May 23-27, coinciding with the Feast of Eid al-Fitr that marks the conclusion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Eid is typically an occasion for Saudis to gather with family and friends to celebrate the end of Ramadan, but the lockdown will prohibit travel during the four days, the state-run SPA news agency reported.
The kingdom leads all Arab nations with 42,925 coronavirus cases, of which 1,911 were confirmed in the last 24 hours, an interval that also saw the Saudi death toll climb by nine to 264.
The Ministry of Interior called on all individuals and entities to fully comply with the latest instructions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the kingdom, including the necessity to continue adhering to the measures of social distancing and preventing gatherings of five or more people.
Until then, the Ministry said free movement is allowed during the day for eight hours from 9am to 5pm in all cities and regions of Saudi Arabia – except for Makkah city, which will still continue its 24-hour curfew.
Commercial and economic activities will also be allowed during the period.
Officials in neighbouring Kuwait implemented on Sunday a lockdown that is set to continue through May 30. With a population of nearly 4.14 million, the small state wedged between Saudi Arabia and Iraq has 10,277 Covid-19 infections, up 911 in the last day, and 75 fatalities.
Lebanon also announced plans for strict, days-long lockdowns in response to increases in the numbers of coronavirus cases in the respective countries.
From sundown today until daybreak on Monday, residents of Lebanon will be barred from leaving their homes for anything other than “urgent needs,” president Michel Aoun said.
While essential industries and shops selling necessities will remain open, other businesses must shut down, including some that only recently reopened, such as cafes.
More than 100 of Lebanon’s 870 confirmed Covid-19 cases appeared in the last four days, with 13 of those infections detected among staff at the central military tribunal.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday said cases in what it calls the Eastern Mediterranean region – from Morocco to Afghanistan – surged by 27% over the week to 274,027, while the death toll mounted to 9,138.
A significant number of the new cases registered in Lebanon were among expatriates returning to the country, according to the WHO, which also attributed some of the apparent spike in infections in Persian Gulf countries to stepped-up testing by governments that had eased restrictions during Ramadan.
– EFE