Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia suspends travel from Pakistan and other countries

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Thursday suspended travel to and from countries including Pakistan, a day after the World Health Organisation (WHO) categorized the coronavirus as a ‘pandemic’.

A report stated that the Saudi Interior Ministry had suspended travel with Pakistan, European Union, Switzerland, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia as the novel coronavorus continues to spread around the world.

The virus, which began from Wuhan, has infected over 110,000 people around the world and killed more than 3,000. It has slowed economic growth, helped decrease oil prices and disrupted supply chains across the globe.

Saudi Arabia also suspended passenger traffic through all land crossings with Jordan , while commercial and cargo traffic is still allowed, and the passage of exceptional humanitarian cases.

The decision excludes health workers in the Kingdom from Philippines and India, and evacuation, shipping and trade trips taking necessary precautions.

Saudi Arabia has so far 45 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to Reuters. 

“Further to the decision of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to temporarily suspend travel of citizens and expatriates to a number of countries where the threat of the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID19) appeared,” the Saudi Press Agency stated.