Coronavirus: Saudi restricts entry to kingdom from UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain to airports only

Only commercial vehicles will be allowed to pass through its land borders

Worshippers take photographs of the Kaaba inside Mecca's Grand Mosque a day after Saudi authorities emptied Islam's holiest site for sterilisation over fears of the new coronavirus COVID-19. AFP

An almost empty Kaaba at the Grand Mosque is seen after Saudi authority suspended umrah amid the fear of coronavirus outbreak. Reuters

A view of Kaaba at the Grand Mosque, which is almost empty of worshippers. Reuters

Kaaba at the Grand Mosque is almost empty of worshippers. Reuters

A view of Kaaba at the Grand Mosque, which is almost empty of worshippers. Reuters

The Kaaba, inside Mecca's Grand Mosque, is shown to be empty of worshippers on Thursday in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. AFP

Small groups of pilgrims walk around the Kaaba. AFP

Workers sterilize the ground in front of the Kaaba in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. AP Photo

Municipal workers are seen in empty courtyard the Kaaba. AFP

Few prayed around the Kaaba in Makkah on Thursday. AP Photo

A pilgrim wears a mask as he visits the Grand Mosque in Makkah. AP Photo

A Saudi policeman stands guard in front of the Kaaba. AP Photo

A pilgrim films pigeons outside the Grand Mosque. AP Photo

Indonesian pilgrims, who entered Mecca before visas were halted, wait their bus to leave home in Makkah. AP Photo

Far smaller crowds than usual of Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. AP Photo

The white-tiled area surrounding the Kaaba is shown empty of worshippers. AFP

Entry into Saudi Arabia from the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain will be temporarily restricted to three airports as the kingdom extends its precautionary measures amid the coronavirus crisis.

Only "commercial trucks" will be allowed to cross over via its land borders.

Those traveling from the three neigbouring GCC states can fly into King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, according to a statement via Saudi Press Agency.

The Ministry of Health will take "all necessary precautions at the aforementioned airports, as well as regarding the drivers and their accompanying of those trucks in the land ports, where these measures shall be applied immediately", it said.

The ruling will be enforced from 11.55pm on Saturday March 7. Saudi is also asking anyone traveling to the country on a new or current visa to bring with them valid proof that they are free of infection from Covid-19 if they are coming from high-risk countries. The lab certificate should have been issued in the 24-hours before travel.

Saudi is working to support international efforts to halt the spread of virus.

On Wednesday, it suspended the Umrah pilgrimage for its own citizens and residents in addition to restrictions announced last week on foreign pilgrims to help stop the disease from spreading. Its first case of the virus, a national who was returning from Iran through Bahrain, was announced on Monday.