Saudi Arabia announces nationwide curfew for Eid holiday

In order to contain the spread of the coronavirus, a 24-hour curfew will be imposed across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the five-day Eid-ul-Fitr holiday (May 23 to 27) , the Saudi Interior Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Until then, commercial and business enterprises will remain open and people will be able to move easily from 9 am to 5 pm, the statement added. However, Mecca still remains under full curfew.

Saudi Arabia had earlier imposed 24-hour curfews on most towns and cities but eased them for the start of Ramadan. It did not loosen the full isolation lockdowns implemented in some areas with high numbers of coronavirus infections.

The kingdom has so far recorded 42,925 cases of the Covid-19 respiratory disease and 264 deaths.

These are the highest numbers in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which together have recorded more than 107,000 cases and 582 deaths.