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COVID-19: Saudi Arabia Suspends International Flights, Shuts Land And Seaports

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In a bid to play safe with the second phase of COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia on Monday, December 21 announced the suspension of all international passenger flights for one week.

Naija News understands that the Western Asia country also halted all land and seaports transportation into its Kingdom for one week.

The official news agency, SPA quoted an Interior Ministry official as saying that the decision was in fear of the spread of a new strain of Coronavirus.

“If conditions persist, the one-week ban can be extended for both kinds of arrivals,” the official noted.

The report noted further that the measures were necessary as a precaution “until medical information about the nature of this virus becomes clear, and to protect the public health of citizens and expatriates and ensure their safety.”

It, however, stated that foreign flights that are currently inside the kingdom’s airspace will be allowed to leave.

Also, residents who have just returned from one of the European countries or any country where there is a fresh uprise in the cases of the novel virus have been ordered to self-isolate for two weeks and be tested for COVID-19, Naija News learnt.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on Sunday evening, 20th December 2020, confirmed 501 new cases of Coronavirus disease infection in Nigeria.

Naija News reports that the new cases of COVID-19 infection were confirmed via a statement on the official Twitter handle of the health agency.