Saudi suspends entry from 20 countries as Covid-19 surges

Saudi Arabia has suspended entry to the Kingdom from as many as 20 countries in order to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus, officials said.

Even diplomats and doctors, as well as their families, from these 20 countries are not exempt from this temporary ban, Saudi Press Agency reported, quoting an unnamed official source at the Interior Ministry.

The 20 countries are Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Pakistan, Brazil, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Lebanon, Egypt, India, and Japan.

The suspension order will come into force at 9pm (KSA time) on Wednesday (Feb 3), as part of the Kingdom's precautionary measures to prevent the rapid spread of Covid, Saudi Gazette reported.

"The decision will include those travellers coming from other countries if they passed through any of the 20 banned countries 14 days preceding the request to enter the Kingdom," the source was quoted as saying.

"Saudi citizens, diplomats, health practitioners and their families coming from the mentioned countries or those who transited any of those countries during the 14 days preceding their return to the Kingdom will enter in accordance with the precautionary measures imposed by the Ministry of Health," the source added.