Saudi Arabia suspends entry for pilgrims over coronavirus
Muslim pilgrims wear masks at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on February 27, 2020. Saudi Arabia suspended visas for visits to Islam's holiest sites for the "umrah" pilgrimage, an unprecedented move triggered by coronavirus fears. PHOTO | ABDULGANI BASHEER | AFP
Saudi Arabia on Thursday suspended visas for visits to Islam's holiest sites for the "umrah" pilgrimage, an unprecedented move triggered by coronavirus fears that raises questions over the annual hajj.
The kingdom, which hosts millions of pilgrims every year in the cities of Mecca and Medina, also suspended visas for tourists from countries affected by the virus as fears of a pandemic deepen.
