Saudia Arabia’s interior ministry has informed on Tuesday that the Islamic nation would impose a countrywide 24-hour curfew during the five-day Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday later this month to help contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus. However, the city of Mecca, which is a holy spot for Muslims, will continue to remain under a full curfew prior to the 5 days holidays as well.
It is important to note here that Saudi Arabia had imposed curfew in the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina on April 2, extending measures to combat the novel coronavirus.
The Ministry informed that according to the directives given by King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, the curfew would be imposed from May 23 to May 27, following the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. During the curfew, citizens have been directed to abide by social distancing and gatherings are banned for more than five people.
Until then, commercial and business undertakings will remain open as they now are and people can move freely between 9 am local time (0600 GMT) to 5 pm, except in Mecca which remains under a full curfew, the statement published by state news agency SPA said.
Eid al-Fitr for the year 2020 will be observed on sundown of Saturday, May 23rd ending at sundown on Sunday, May 24th.
Saudi Arabia had earlier imposed 24-hour curfews on most towns and cities but eased them for the start of Ramadan.
Saudi Arabia has so far recorded 42,925 cases of the COVID-19 respiratory disease and 264 deaths which is the highest in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The GCC nations together have recorded more than 107,000 cases and 582 deaths.