New Covid strain: Saudi Arabia suspends international flights and land and sea entry for a week

Some flights will be allowed in exceptional circumstances

By Reuters

Published: Mon 21 Dec 2020, 5:50 AM

Last updated: Mon 21 Dec 2020, 6:23 AM

Saudi Arabia suspended late on Sunday all international commercial flights for a renewable week except for the foreign flights already in the kingdom which will be allowed to leave, state news agency SPA reported quoting an interior ministry source.

The source added the entry to the kingdom through land and sea ports will be also suspended for a renewable week, and those measures come after the spread of a new strain of Covid-19 among number of countries.

The decisions were made in response to the emergence of a potent new strain of the virus in the UK and other European countries.

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Some flights will be allowed in exceptional circumstances, SPA reported.

Anyone who has returned to the Kingdom from European countries or high risk countries after Dec. 8 is required to quarantine for two weeks from the date of their arrival.

They must also undergo a Covid-19 test during their self-isolation period and repeat the test every five days.

Anyone who has returned from or transited through a European or high risk country within the last three months must also undergo the test.

The movement of goods, commodities and supply chains from countries where the mutated virus has not appeared will continue as usual.

These travel restrictions will be reviewed in accordance with coronavirus related developments.

Photo: AFP