Saudi Arabia extends flight suspension due to new COVID-19 strain

MENA

Published: 2020-12-29 20:10

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 02:42


Saudi Arabia extends flight suspension due to new COVID-19 strain
Saudi Arabia extends flight suspension due to new COVID-19 strain

Saudi Arabia announced the extension of the suspension of flights as well as the closure of all borders for one more week. This came after the Kingdom suspended all forms of travel a week ago, due to the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus.

An Interior Ministry official Monday said 'goods, commodities and supply chains' are excluded from the decision. The Kingdom will also allow 'non-Saudis to leave the kingdom' on flights with compliance to precautionary measures.

Last week, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman announced the extension of flight suspension and border closures due to the mutated variant. Oman and Kuwait declared they would resume flights on Dec. 29 and Jan. 1.

Saudi Arabia began a vaccination campaign earlier this month, using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The Kingdom recorded more than 362,000 COVID-19 cases and over 6,100 deaths since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis.