In a bid to reduce the spread of coronavirus infections, Saudi Arabia has suspended entry from 20 countries, ranging from some neighbouring states to the United States.
The interior ministry which disclosed the “temporary suspension,” added that it would be effective from 9.00 pm (1800 GMT) on Wednesday, February 3.
The ban applies to neighbouring Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and in the wider region, to Lebanon and Turkey but it excludes Nigeria.
In Europe, the ban includes Britain, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland.
Elsewhere, as well as the US, it applies to Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan and South Africa.
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Saudi citizens, as well as diplomats and health workers coming from those countries, will be allowed to enter the kingdom “in accordance with the precautionary measures”, it added.
The announcement comes after Saudi’s health minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah warned on Sunday that new coronavirus restrictions could be imposed if citizens and residents do not comply with health restrictions.
Saudi Arabia has reported more than 368,000 coronavirus cases and nearly 6,400 deaths, the highest among Gulf Arab states.
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Daily infections dipped below 100 in early January, from a peak of nearly 5,000 last June.
However, new daily infections have tripled since then, with 310 cases reported by the health ministry on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia launched its coronavirus vaccination campaign on December 17 after receiving the first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
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