Coronavirus: Saudi reopens Grand Mosque but Umrah still suspended

The Grand Mosque was closed on Thursday for sterilisation

Muslim worshippers circumambulate the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site. Saudi Arabia reopened today the area around the sacred Kaaba, reversing one of a series of measures introduced to combat the coronavirus outbreak. AFP

A Muslim worshipper prays near the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque. AFP

Muslim worshippers circumambulate the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque. AFP

Muslim worshippers circumambulate the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, on March 7, 2020. Saudi Arabia reopened today the area around the sacred Kaaba, reversing one of a series of measures introduced to combat the coronavirus outbreak. Saudi authorities this week suspended the year-round umrah pilgrimage, during which worshippers circle the Kaaba seven times, and also announced the temporary closure of the area around the cube structure. / AFP / Abdel Ghani BASHIR

This combination of pictures created on March 07, 2020 shows a small crowd of worshippers around the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque on March 7, 2020 and a large crowd of worshippers around the Kaaba (Tawaf al-Wadaa) during pilgrimage on August 13, 2019. AFP

Workers disinfect the ground around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia emptied Islam's holiest site for what they say sterilization over fears of the new coronavirus. AP Photo

An aerial view shows an empty white-tiled area surrounding the Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque. An eerie emptiness enveloped the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, where attendance at Friday prayers was hit by measures to protect against the deadly new coronavirus. AFP

A Saudi policeman prays in front of the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. AP Photo

A pilgrim poses for a picture as in front of the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the minor pilgrimage, known as Umrah, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. At Islam’s holiest site in Mecca, restrictions put in place by Saudi Arabia to halt the spread of the new coronavirus saw far smaller crowds than usual on Monday. AP Photo

A small number of pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the minor pilgrimage, known as Umrah, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. At Islam’s holiest site in Mecca, restrictions put in place by Saudi Arabia to halt the spread of the new coronavirus saw far smaller crowds than usual on Monday. AP Photo

Workers clean the Grand Mosque, during the minor pilgrimage, known as Umrah, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. At Islam’s holiest site in Mecca, restrictions put in place by Saudi Arabia to halt the spread of the new coronavirus saw far smaller crowds than usual on Monday. AP Photo

A pilgrim, who entered Saudi Arabia before the country halted travel to the holiest sites, takes a rest on a praying carpet at the roof of the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. AP Photo

A muslim pilgrim wears a protective face mask to prevent contracting coronavirus, as he prays at the Grand mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. REUTERS

Muslim pilgrims wear protective face masks to prevent contracting coronavirus, as they arrive at the Grand mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. REUTERS

Muslim pilgrims wear protective face masks to prevent contracting coronavirus, as they arrive at the Grand mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. REUTERS

A travel agency officer tidies up suitcases owned by Umrah pilgrims, after the cancellation of the departure to Mecca following the Saudi government's temporary ban to keep the country safe because of coronavirus outbreak, in Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia. REUTERS

Umrah pilgrims leave after the cancellation of the departure to Mecca following the Saudi government's temporary ban announced on Thursday to keep the country safe because of coronavirus outbreak, at Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, near Jakarta, Indonesia. REUTERS

Umrah pilgrims are seen after the cancellation of the departure to Mecca following the Saudi government's temporary ban announced on Thursday to keep the country safe because of coronavirus outbreak, at Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, near Jakarta, Indonesia. REUTERS

Saudi Arabia reopened the area around the sacred Kaaba in Makkah’s Grand Mosque on Saturday after closing Islam's holiest site as part of a series of measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

Saudi authorities this week suspended the year-round Umrah pilgrimage, during which worshippers circle the Kaaba seven times, and also announced the temporary closure of the area around the cube structure.

But King Salman has "allowed for the opening of the Mataf [where people circle the Kaaba] for non-Umrah performers" starting on Saturday at dawn, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Hundreds of Muslims were seen rotating around the Kaaba, but the area between two hills that pilgrims must go between seven times to complete Umrah, remained closed.

Barricades blocked access to the Kaaba, draped in a gold-embroidered black cloth, while men in green uniforms cleaned the white-tiled floor.

Authorities had emptied the Grand Mosque for sterilisation on Thursday.

The unprecedented suspension of the Umrah has raised uncertainty over the annual hajj pilgrimage, scheduled for the end of July.

Authorities have said prayers will be allowed at the Prophet's Mosque in Medina and in Makkah's Grand Mosque while the Umrah is suspended, apart from during nighttime cleaning and sterilisation.

Around two-thirds of the 18.3 million Umrah participants in 2018 were citizens and residents of the kingdom, according to government statistics.

On Saturday, SPA said entry into Saudi Arabia from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain would be "temporarily" restricted to three airports in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

Only commercial trucks will be allowed to cross by land, it added.

The newly established Sports Ministry said it would "suspend public attendance" at all sports events starting Saturday, reflecting calls across the Gulf to cancel mass gatherings.

Some 2.5 million faithful travelled to Saudi Arabia from across the world in 2019 to take part in the hajj, which all Muslims must perform at least once in their lives if able.

The event is a massive logistical challenge for Saudi authorities, with colossal crowds enter relatively small holy sites, making attendees vulnerable to contagion.

With the number of coronavirus cases in the Gulf region now more than 200, neighbouring Kuwait also announced additional precautionary measures.

It said it would suspend all flights to and from Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt for a week.