Saudi Arabia imposes 24-hour lockdown until further notice in Makkah, Madinah

Beginning from the evening of April 2, a 24-hour curfew has been enforced in the Saudi Arabian cities of Makkah and Madinah, and would remain in effect until further notice, reported the kingdom’s official news channel Saudi Press Agency.

An official source with the country’s Ministry of Interior confirmed that the existing ban on the entry and exit of all residents from the two cities would also continue to remain in effect.

Official source at the Ministry of Interior: Full 24-hour curfew imposes in Makkah and Madinah starting from today until further notice.#SPAGOV

— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) April 2, 2020

The restrictions on the entry/exit and movement within these cities does not apply to emergency workers and those employed in the kingdom’s vital sectors.

Residents of Makkah and Madinah are allowed to leave their homes only in exceptional cases to meet necessary needs such as health care requirements and to obtain food supplies.

However, they must restrict their movements to remain within their residential neighbourhood and should exit from their homes only between 6am until 3pm, if necessary.

For those residents exiting their homes for essential purposes, only one person – other than the driver – is allowed to be present within the car.

Only adults are allowed to leave their homes and the movement of children is permitted only if it is to ensure that they are not exposed to sources of transmission.

However, the ministry said that residents of these two cities should as far as possible use smart applications to order food, groceries and medicines to be delivered to them.

The news of the complete lockdown in Makkah and Madinah came on the same day that the kingdom reported five additional deaths as a result of the Covid-19 virus and 165 new infections.

Read: Covid-19: Saudi reports five additional deaths, 165 new cases

Of the 165 cases, the highest numbers were reported in Makkah (48) and Madinah (46).

On March 23, Saudi Arabia imposed an evening curfew across the country for 21 days with the curfew in effect daily from 7pm until 6am.

Read: Saudi, Kuwait impose evening curfews to limit spread of Covid-19

On March 27, the kingdom said that it had brought forward the starting time of its daily curfew in Riyadh, Makkah and Madinah to 3pm.

On March 29, Saudi Arabia said that they had decided to extend the ongoing suspension of all international passengers flights to the kingdom – excluding exceptional cases – until further notice.

Read: Saudi extends suspension of international and domestic flights, buses, taxis

Domestic passenger flights as well as buses, taxis and train activities, would also continue to be suspended until further notice.

The kingdom also directed its private and public sector entities to continue working remotely from home.