Saudi Virus Cases Top 100,000 with New Spike ahead of Hajj

The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia reached 100,000 on Sunday, the Ministry of Health said, amid a new outbreak of infection just weeks before the start of the hajj.

The total number of infections rose to 101,914—the highest in the Gulf — while the death toll increased to 712, the Ministry added.

The Kingdom has seen infection spike as it eases strict lockdown measures, with more than 3,000 cases per day for the second day in a row on Sunday.

On Friday, the Kingdom announced a renewed lockdown in Jeddah City, the gateway to the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, to counter the jump in cases.

The measures include a curfew running from 3 pm to 6 am, a suspension of prayers in mosques, and a stay-at-home order for public and private sector workers in the Red Sea city whose airport serves pilgrims.

After an easing of precautions in the kingdom in late May, the ministry said that strict measures could also soon return to Riyadh, which was "witnessing a continuous increase during the last days" of critical cases of the pandemic.

The Kingdom has said that it will continue to postpone the year-round "umrah" pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina for fear of the coronavirus pandemic emerging in the holiest cities of Islam.

Authorities have yet to announce whether they will continue this year's Hajj, scheduled for the end of July but have urged Muslims to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage.

Last year, some 2.5 million faithful traveled to Saudi Arabia from across the world to take part in the hajj, which all Muslims must perform at least once in their lives if able.

Source: AFP