Saudi Arabia has closed its borders to foreign "umrah" pilgrims and to tourists from at least 25 countries where the new coronavirus has been found. Muslims are currently applying for visas for the minor umrah pilgrimage, which can take place at any time of the year and brought 7.5 million people to the birthplace of Islam in the course of 2019, according to official figures. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have not reported any cases of COVID-19, which has infected about 80,000 people worldwide and killed more than 2800, mostly in China, but the other four Gulf Arab states have. Kuwait and Bahrain raised their totals to 43 and 33 cases respectively, all in people who had visited Iran. Oman has diagnosed four cases and the United Arab Emirates, an air transit hub, raised its number of cases to 19 on Thursday. Pilgrimage is big business for Saudi Arabia, which has Islam's two holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, and is the backbone of plans to expand visitor numbers under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious economic reform agenda. Visits by pilgrims accelerate during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, beginning this year in late April. And in late July, about two million pilgrims are expected for the week-long haj, the world's largest annual gathering of Muslims, which has a separate visa regime. In Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, organisers said the suspension could affect 150,000-200,000 Indonesian pilgrims during the next month. Neighbouring Malaysia advised citizens to postpone visits to Saudi Arabia. "Protecting the pilgrims ... and the sacred sites from the arrival of this disease is very important," Health Ministry spokesman Mohammed Abdelali told reporters. "Saudi Arabia feels a sense of responsibility, therefore we took these temporary decisions, which will constantly be reviewed." The UAE-based airlines Emirates and flydubai cited Saudi directives in saying they would no longer carry passengers with tourist visas from China, Japan, Italy, Iran, India, Pakistan and a number of other countries. Australian Associated Press
Saudi Arabia's travel ban means foreigners won't be able to reach the holy city of Mecca.
Saudi Arabia has closed its borders to foreign "umrah" pilgrims and to tourists from at least 25 countries where the new coronavirus has been found.
Muslims are currently applying for visas for the minor umrah pilgrimage, which can take place at any time of the year and brought 7.5 million people to the birthplace of Islam in the course of 2019, according to official figures.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar have not reported any cases of COVID-19, which has infected about 80,000 people worldwide and killed more than 2800, mostly in China, but the other four Gulf Arab states have.
Kuwait and Bahrain raised their totals to 43 and 33 cases respectively, all in people who had visited Iran. Oman has diagnosed four cases and the United Arab Emirates, an air transit hub, raised its number of cases to 19 on Thursday.
Pilgrimage is big business for Saudi Arabia, which has Islam's two holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, and is the backbone of plans to expand visitor numbers under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious economic reform agenda.
Visits by pilgrims accelerate during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, beginning this year in late April. And in late July, about two million pilgrims are expected for the week-long haj, the world's largest annual gathering of Muslims, which has a separate visa regime.
In Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, organisers said the suspension could affect 150,000-200,000 Indonesian pilgrims during the next month.
Neighbouring Malaysia advised citizens to postpone visits to Saudi Arabia.
"Protecting the pilgrims ... and the sacred sites from the arrival of this disease is very important," Health Ministry spokesman Mohammed Abdelali told reporters.
"Saudi Arabia feels a sense of responsibility, therefore we took these temporary decisions, which will constantly be reviewed."
The UAE-based airlines Emirates and flydubai cited Saudi directives in saying they would no longer carry passengers with tourist visas from China, Japan, Italy, Iran, India, Pakistan and a number of other countries.
