Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia suspends pilgrim visas, Iran’s VP infected

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has suspended visas for pilgrims wishing to visit Mecca.

The move was part of attempts to curb the spread of coronavirus to the kingdom, AFP reports.

The foreign ministry said on Thursday it suspended entry to the kingdom for the purpose of Umrah (lesser hajj) and visiting the Prophet’s mosque.

It said it was also suspending visas for tourists visiting from countries where the new virus is a “danger”.

Even as the number of fresh cases has declined at the epicentre of the disease in China, there has been a sudden increase in parts of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Iran has emerged as a major hotspot in the region, where 15 people have succumbed to the disease, officially known as COVID-19.

The Gulf states of Kuwait and Bahrain have also announced additional cases this week.

Recall that in 2019, no fewer than 65, 000 Nigerians performed the hajj.

Iran’s vice president contracts disease

Iran’s Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, Masoumeh Ebtekar, has tested positive for coronavirus.

The vice president is also known as the English-language spokeswoman for the 1979 hostage-takers, who seized the US embassy in Tehran and sparked the 444-day diplomatic crisis.

On Tuesday, Iranian officials confirmed that Deputy Health Minister, Iraj Harirchi, had been infected and was under quarantine.

Iran also cancelled Friday prayers in the capital, Tehran, and elsewhere in the country. The move came in response to a drastic jump in the number of confirmed cases from 100 to 245, with 26 deaths.

Iran also banned Chinese citizens from entering the country.