DUBAI Saudi Arabia’s Mataf — area of circulation around Makkah’s Kaaba — reopened for non-Umrah worshippers on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The General President of the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque Affairs Sheikh Dr. Abdurrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais stressed the need to adhere to the precautionary procedures and cooperation with all the workers in the Grand Mosque to serve its visitors. The decision follows a sterilization operation at the Grand Mosque. Muslims performed Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah for the first time since restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus were announced by Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is temporarily stopping entry into the Kingdom by land from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain, as a precaution against the spread of the COVID-19) coronavirus, the Saudi Press Agency reported early Saturday. Only commercial trucks coming from the three Gulf neighbours would be allowed, but they have to undergo health inspection, the report said, quoting an official source from the Ministry of Interior. Arrivals from the three countries would be limited to three airports starting 11:55 p.m. Saturday, March 7, 2020, SPA said. These airports are King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, the report added. Precautionary measures are also to be undertaken by Ministry of Health workers at the three airports. The report also said anyone who wishes to enter Saudi Arabia from any country where the risk of the spread of COVID-19 is high “must submit a laboratory test certificate proving that he or she is free of infection with the new coronavirus”. “This applies to those who resided in those countries during the (14) days prior to entering the Kingdom,” the report said. “The air carrier must ensure that the laboratory certificate is safe, and that it is recent and issued within the twenty-four hours prior to the passenger boarding,” the report said.— SPA
