Saudi Arabia has suspended all international flights for a week amid spreading of a highly infectious new mutant strain of the novel coronavirus which has been discovered in Britain, an Interior Ministry source has confirmed. The ban came into effect on Sunday also applies to entry of passengers to the Kingdom through land and seaports.
"These procedures will be reviewed in light of the developments related to the pandemic, and what is received from the Ministry of Health," according to a source.
Foreign flights that are currently in the Saudi territory will be exempt and will be allowed to leave.
Saudi ban eliminates movement of goods, commodities and supply chains from countries where the mutated virus has not appeared.
Saudi Arabia's decision came after several European nations, including Italy, Belgium, France and the Netherlands have banned flights to and fro from the UK after reports of the mutant strain, which has quickly spread across London and the southeast of England.
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On December 19, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had announced that the newly identified strain of the virus may be up to 70 per cent more transmissible.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new variant was "out of control".
By the week ending December 9, the new variant accounted for 62 per cent in London, 59 per cent in eastern England, and 43 per cent in the South East.