Saudi Arabia to Lift Curfew Except for Mecca Starting 21 June

By Staff, Agencies

Saudi Arabia will lift the imposed curfew across the country and ease it for the holy city of Mecca starting 21 June, according to the Saudi Press Agency, citing an official source in the Ministry of Interior.

The Kingdom has imposed a 24-hour curfew from Saturday until this Wednesday in order to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.

The curfew for Mecca will be amended to the period of 3 pm to 6 am local time.

Friday and group prayers will be allowed inside all mosques across the Kingdom except for Mecca starting Sunday, 31 May, "while adhering to precautionary measures and preventive measures".

The Kingdom will also lift the ban on travelling between regions and cities and on attending work in both the government and private sectors effective on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia has so far confirmed a total of 74,795 coronavirus cases, including at least 399 fatalities. In the past day, the Kingdom has recorded more than 2,200 new cases and nine deaths.