Covid-19: Saudi Arabia extends travel ban to May 17

Riyadh - The ministry had previously said on January 8 that it would end a ban on travel for its citizens and would reopen its ports from March 31.

Saudi Arabia has postponed the reopening of its land, sea and air ports for travel till May 17, the kingdom’s Ministry of Interior said on Friday.

The ministry had previously said on January 8 that it would end a ban on travel for its citizens and would reopen its ports from March 31, Arab News reported.

Interior ministry spokesperson said the decision was taken “given the importance of reaching high levels of community immunity in the Kingdom before travel is permitted, in light of a possible second wave of the pandemic in many countries, in the interest of public health in the Kingdom and to maintain low infection rates.”

He said travel suspension for citizens would be lifted and land, sea and air ports completely opened from 1am on May 17.

Meanwhile, the Saudi health minister has said that deliveries of Covid-19 vaccines are being delayed.

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The kingdom announced two deaths from Covid-19 and 267 new infections on Friday.

Of the new cases, 89 were recorded in Riyadh, 70 in the Eastern Province, 49 in Makkah, 12 in Asir, six in Madinah, five in Najran, and three in Jazan.

The total number of recoveries in the Kingdom increased to 359,006 after 253 more patients recovered from the virus.

A total of 6,368 people have succumbed to the virus in the Kingdom so far.

• Saudi Arabia