Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has announced a nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew from Monday in a bid to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, the latest in a series of restrictions.
Thecurfew — from 7 pm until 6 am — will be imposed for 21 days, the officialSaudi Press Agency reported, citing a royal order.
Themove comes after Saudi Arabia on Sunday said the number of COVID-19 cases hadjumped to 511, the highest in the Gulf. The kingdom has reported no deaths sofar.
Healthsector employees as well as security and military officials will be exempt fromthe curfew restrictions, the royal order said.
SaudiArabia’s King Salman warned on Thursday of a “more difficult” fightahead against the virus, as the kingdom faces the double blow of virus-ledshutdowns and crashing oil prices.
TheArab world’s biggest economy has shut down cinemas, malls and restaurants,halted flights and suspended the year-round umrah pilgrimage as it steps upefforts to contain the deadly virus.
Lastweek, the kingdom unveiled stimulus measures amounting to 120 Saudi billionriyals ($32 billion) to support businesses and said it plans to raise borrowingto 50 per cent of GDP.
Saudi Arabia has also suspended prayers inside all its mosques except the holiest two sites in Islam in Makkah and Madinah.