Due to a renewed increase in new infections, Saudi Arabia has again severely restricted public life. Restaurants, cinemas, sports and entertainment centers will initially be closed for ten days, the Interior Ministry announced today. Weddings and conferences in hotels and other private spaces would be suspended for 30 days. Restaurants should only offer take-away food. The new measures should come into force this evening.
So far, more than 368,000 coronavirus infections and nearly 6,400 deaths have been reported in Saudi Arabia. In the past few days, around 200 to 300 new cases have been registered. Compared to the beginning of January, that is almost twice as many new infections every day.
In the summer, the country with its 34 million inhabitants was hit particularly hard by the pandemic. Up to 4,900 new infections were registered daily. After some strict restrictions in public life, the number of new infections has been falling since July.
