COVID-19: Saudi Arabia bans entry from four countries including UAE, Vietnam

Saudi Arabia has announced to suspend flights to and from Ethiopia, UAE, Vietnam and Afghanistan over the fears of coronavirus spread.

According to the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the ban, which will come into effect from July 4, will apply to all people whose has been in the four countries during the last 14 days.

However, the restrictions will not apply to citizens who will return before 11pm on Sunday from those countries.

The ban, according to the report, is based on “keenness of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s government on the safety of citizens wishing to travel abroad, and in light of the ongoing outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) and the spread of a new mutated strain of the virus”.

“The Saudi Ministry of Interior calls upon citizens wishing to travel to the countries to which travel is permitted to be careful, stay away from areas where the virus is spreading, and follow up all precautionary measures, regardless of their destination,” read the SPA report.

It said that suspending citizens’ direct or indirect travel to the previously declared countries will continue.

Back in February this year, Saudi Arabia had suspended entry from 20 countries in order to slow the spread of the virus.

The banned countries included Egypt, UAE, Lebanon, Turkey, UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, US, Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan and South Africa.

Later in May, Saudi government lifted ban from 11 countries which include UAE, Germany, US, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, UK, Sweden, Switzerland, France and Japan.