Saudi, others shut borders; flights hit over virus fears
Gulf Today|December 22, 2020
SHARJAH Etihad Airways updates travel rules for UK passengers; UAE reports 1,077 new cases, 2 deaths; DHA reduces charges of 11 medical services by 50%; EU approves Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Saudi, others shut borders; flights hit over virus fears

Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed drive around the Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve in Dubai on Monday.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman closed their borders and suspended commercial flights over fears about a new coronavirus strain that was reported in the United Kingdom.

The new virus strain prompted UAE airlines to suspend flights to the Saudi Arabia till December 27 citing health concerns.

On Monday, more and more countries around the world restricted travel from Britain and elsewhere amid concerns about new strains of the virus, as their governments analyse test results and try to find ways to protect their populations and hospital systems.

The Saudi Health Ministry on Sunday night announced the cancellation of all flights to the kingdom for a week for the second time due to a rapidly spreading strain of coronavirus.

Saudi Arabia shut its land and sea borders on Sunday and suspended international commercial flights for a renewable week although foreign flights already in the country can leave, the Interior Ministry said.

The measures do not apply to the movement of goods from countries where the new COVID-19 strain has not appeared.

This story is from the December 22, 2020 edition of Gulf Today.

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This story is from the December 22, 2020 edition of Gulf Today.

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