Saudi Arabia announces the suspension of prayers at mosques, apart from the two holy sites of Makkah and Madinah, to help stop the spread of coronavirus. AFP
Saudi Arabia announces the suspension of prayers at mosques, apart from the two holy sites of Makkah and Madinah, to help stop the spread of coronavirus. AFP
Saudi Arabia announces the suspension of prayers at mosques, apart from the two holy sites of Makkah and Madinah, to help stop the spread of coronavirus. AFP
Saudi Arabia announces the suspension of prayers at mosques, apart from the two holy sites of Makkah and Madinah, to help stop the spread of coronavirus. AFP

Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia suspends mosque prayers in unprecedented move


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Saudi Arabia, home of Islam's most holy sites, has announced an unprecedented move to suspend prayers at mosques throughout the country to help contain the spread of coronavirus.

Makkah and Madinah are exempt and will continue offering prayers, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said.

The two holy sites were previously closed, but partially reopened following a royal decree, however pilgrimages have been halted due to the virus.

Mosques will close their doors temporarily but continue to issue the ritual call to prayer, which will direct people to pray in their homes rather than come to the mosque.

Islamic Affairs Minister Abdulatif Al Sheikh told state television that facilities for washing the dead at mosques that have them would remain open but access would be restricted to a few people. Praying over the dead will only be permitted at the cemetery, not in the mosque, he added.

Saudi Arabia's health ministry announced 38 news cases of the virus on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections to 171 and no deaths. The country has taken drastic measures to combat the spread, including halting all international flights, closing restaurants and closing most public establishments.

The new cases are a mix of Saudi and foreign nationals, who arrived from abroad. They have been isolated in health facilities in Jeddah, Qatif, Riyadh, Dhahran and Makkah.

Iran, the worst affected country in the Middle East, issued its most dire warning yet about the viral outbreak, suggesting “millions” could die in the Islamic Republic if people keep traveling and ignoring health guidance.

A state television journalist who also is a medical doctor gave the warning only hours after hard-line Shiite faithful on Monday night pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that had finally been closed due to the virus. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious ruling prohibiting “unnecessary” travel in the country.

Roughly 9 out of 10 of the over 18,000 confirmed cases of the virus in the Middle East come from Iran, where authorities denied for days the risk the outbreak posed. Officials have now implemented new checks for people trying to leave major cities before Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on Friday, but have hesitated to quarantine the areas.

That’s even as the death toll in Iran saw another 13 per cent increase on Tuesday. Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the virus had killed 135 more people to raise the total to 988 amid over 16,000 cases. Jordan prepared for a shutdown of its own, banning gatherings of more than 10 people, and neighboring Israel issued its own strict guidelines.

Most infected people experience only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and recover within weeks. But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by people with no visible symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

Egypt, which has 166 confirmed cases of the new virus including four deaths, announced the immediate shutdown of all movie theatres across the country until further notice.

Jordan deployed troops outside of major cities to block travel. It also ordered newspapers to cease publishing, banned gatherings of more than 10 people and established a quarantine zone at Dead Sea hotels. It halted all private sector work and public transportation as well.

Oman announced anyone coming from abroad would be subject to quarantine.

Israel’s Defence Ministry plans to use near-empty hotels, ravaged by the crash in tourism, as recovery centres for patients diagnosed with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Israel also called on citizens to stay home, closing parks, museums, libraries, beaches and other public areas.

In Syria, all sports clubs, movie theatres, concerts, theatres, as well as halls used for weddings or funerals were ordered closed in the capital of Damascus, and all restaurants and other shops around the country were ordered closed. Syria says it has no cases of the virus so far.

Pakistan’s suffered its first death as the number of coronavirus cases jumped to 236. Government critics say thousands of pilgrims were not properly screened as they arrived from Iran at the southwestern Taftan border earlier this month.

Western and Arab countries in a statement on Tuesday urged Libya's warring factions to stop fighting to allow the country's authorities to respond to the threat posed by the coronavirus.

Although Libya has yet to record any confirmed cases, the World Health Organisation representative in Tripoli has warned of the great risks faced if the virus spreads in a country fragmented by conflict.

For the last year, the eastern-based Libyan National Army and Tripoli-based Government of National Accord have been clashing.

The LNA is backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia while the GNA is supported by Turkey. In recent weeks numerous rounds of bombardment have targeted GNA-held areas around Tripoli including around its last functioning airport.

A joint statement on Tuesday from Algeria, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United States, the European Union, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates said a truce would help efforts to tackle the virus.

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Things Heard & Seen

Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton

2/5

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

The biog

Hometown: Cairo

Age: 37

Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror

Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing

Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition

Mina Cup winners

Under 12 – Minerva Academy

Under 14 – Unam Pumas

Under 16 – Fursan Hispania

Under 18 – Madenat

The specs: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Price, base / as tested: Dh101,140 / Dh113,800


Engine: Turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder


Power: 148hp @ 5,500rpm


Torque: 250Nm @ 2,000rpm


Transmission: Eight-speed CVT


Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception