RIYADH, Apr 7 (NNN-SPA/KUNA) – Saudi Arabia placed its capital, Riyadh and other big cities, under a 24-hour curfew on Monday, locking down much of the population, as the largest Gulf Arab country expanded efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19.
The new curfew applies to the cities of Riyadh, Tabuk, Damam, Dharan, Hofuf, and the provinces of Jeddah, Taif, Qatif and Khobar, a statement from the interior ministry said.
Entry to or exit from, those areas will not be allowed, except for vital workers. Residents are allowed to leave their homes for medical or food needs inside their residential area and between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. only.
Saudi Arabia reported four more deaths from the virus on Monday, bringing the total death toll there to 38.
The government, Thursday, imposed a 24-hour curfew in the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Saudi’s eastern oil-producing province of Qatif, where the kingdom’s first virus cases were reported among Shi’ite Muslim pilgrims returning from Iran, has been on lock-down for four weeks.
Countries of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) recorded almost 8,000 cases of infection and 60 deaths.
In Kuwait, the government announced a full lock-down on two densely-populated districts and extended a public holiday by two weeks, until Apr 26, as precautionary measures against the virus.
It also extended its partial curfew by two hours in the morning, to run from 5 p.m. (1400 GMT) until 6 a.m. effective Monday, until further notice. The interior minister urged people to stay indoors even during non-curfew hours.
Kuwait recorded 665 cases of the virus and one death so far.
On Monday, the cabinet said, all ministries and government institutions would now remain on holiday until Apr 26.
The two districts to be put under a two-week “complete isolation” are Jleeb al-Shuyoukh and Mahboula, two heavily populated areas where poorer expatriate workers live.
“The decision to isolate (the two areas) is in order to test everyone in there and treat them, so it does not impact other areas,” the interior minister was quoted as saying.– NNN-SPA/ KUNA
