COVID-19 News Strain: Saudi Arabia suspends international flights, land, sea borders

Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended all international passenger flights and closed land and sea borders for a week over fears of the fast-spreading new variant of the coronavirus.

The suspension will tentatively last for a week and the kingdom’s interior ministry said the suspension may be extended “until medical information about the nature of this virus becomes clear.”

The government also ordered anyone who has returned from or passed through a European country over the past three months to get tested for COVID-19 immediately.

“Temporary suspension of all commercial international flights for travelers, except in emergency cases, for a week, which can be extended for another week.”

“However, the foreign flights that are currently in the Kingdom are allowed to leave. Suspension of the entry to the Kingdom through land and seaports temporarily for a period of one week and it can be extended.”

The travel suspension will not affect the country’s cargo flights and supply chains.

This latest development by Saudi Arabia is connected to the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus in the United Kingdom. This new strain has forced the UK to impose a Tier 4 lockdown in London and southeastern England.

Also, some European country like Belgium, France, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Netherlands and Latvia have all suspended flights from the UK.