The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Thursday announced that it would “temporarily suspend the travel of citizens and expatriates and suspend flights” to several countries including India. The suspension excludes health practitioners from Philipines and India working in the Kingdom , and evacuation, shipping and trade trips, while taking the necessary precautions.

Saudi Arabia has also suspended travel and flights to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, European Union countries, the Swiss Confederation,  Philippines, Sudan, and  Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Djibouti, and Somalia”.

The decision has been taken as a precautionary measure in the light of the spread of COVID-19 across the globe.

The Saudi Press Agency quoting an unnamed official source said that the “Kingdom has also decided to suspend the entry of those coming from the above countries, and the entry of those who were there during the 14 days prior to their arrival”.

“The movement of passengers through all land ports with Jordan has also been suspended, while commercial and freight traffic is still allowed, and humanitarian and exceptional cases can cross”.

“The decision gives a 72-hour period for citizens and those with valid residency of the citizens of those countries to return to the kingdom, before the travel suspension decision becomes effective”.

The Saudi Press Agency also stated that the decision indicated that the Ministries of Interior and Health “may coordinate to deal with humanitarian and exceptional cases, without prejudice to the necessary precautionary and preventive measures”.