Manama: Saudi Arabia started returning to normalcy on Sunday morning after three months of nationwide curfew. All economic and business activities began to resume across the kingdom.
The 73-days curfew, which was imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus, was lifted at 6 am local time on Sunday.
However, restrictions will remain in force for Umrah pilgrimage, visits to holy sites, gatherings of more than 50 people, and international flights as well as the entry and exit across borders until further notice, official news agency SPA quoted the interior ministry sources as saying on Saturday.
Earlier yesterday, the Ministry of Interior said that the Kingdom would return to normalcy based on the health authorities’ recommendation and coronavirus restrictions would be eased.
The ministry has called on the public to commit to social distancing, and wearing masks, emphasizing that residents and citizens should act responsibly and abide by precautionary measures and directives issued by authorities.
It urged everyone to install the Tawakkalna and Tabaud (distancing) apps, to obtain health instructions, guidance, awareness and latest developments regarding coronavirus.
Those who are violating the protocols will be fined as per the applicable penalties for individuals and facilities, the interior ministry warned.
Restrictions including a partial curfew was clamped in Saudi on March 23 to stem the spread of the coronavirus. On April 6, several cities and governorates, comprising the capital city Riyadh, were placed under a 24-hour curfew. Later, after a relaxation in curfew hours during the Ramadan days, Saudi has imposed nationwide 24-hour curfew during the Eid holidays with an aim of reducing social contact.
On May 26, it announced a three-phase plan to ease restrictions on movement and travel, starting from May 28. The first phase ended on May 30 and the second on June 20. The third phase, culminating in the curfew completely ending on June 21, intends to return the county to normalcy.
The number of covid-19 cases and related-deaths have risen in recent weeks following a relaxation of movement and travel restrictions on May 28. The country has witnessed a surge in fatalities since May 29, then the number of daily deaths was 16. Now the daily death toll is hovering at 38 per day.
The health ministry announced 3,941 new infections and 46 deaths on Saturday. The kingdom has recorded 1,54,223 cases and a total of 1,230 deaths, the highest in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.
Saudi has the second highest number of recoveries in the Arab world after Kuwait- over 64 % or 98,917 recoveries out of the total cases.
