Saudi Arabia extends entry ban by another week over coronavirus variant fears

Saudi Arabia extends entry ban by another week over coronavirus variant fears

Saudi Arabia has extended its suspension of commercial passenger flights by at least one week and possibly two amid concerns over a new variant of the coronavirus.

Saudi Arabia will however allow flights in "exceptional cases", an interior ministry official said according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Sunday.

Foreigners will be allowed to depart the kingdom and cargo movement will be permitted, it added.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman suspended passenger flights and banned entry and exit via their land and sea borders last week after a new strain of the novel coronavirus appeared in Britain.

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Oman and Kuwait said they plan to lift the ban