Saudi Arabia suspends flights to and from more South African countries

RIYADH, Nov 29  -- Saudi Arabia on Sunday suspended flights to and from Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, Angola, Seychelles, Mauritius and Comoros, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted an official source at the Ministry of Interior.

This decision was taken due to reasons related to the outbreak of the emerging COVID-19 cases and based on the constant follow-up of the epidemiological situation, as well as on reports about the emergence of the newly-found variant “Omicron”.

“The non-Saudi passengers arriving directly or indirectly from the aforementioned countries are not allowed to enter the Kingdom provided that they spend 14 days in other countries allowed by Saudi authorities.

“The exempted categories, including Saudis, coming from the seven countries should be subject to a five-day constitutional quarantine regardless of the state of vaccination,” the source added.

The Ministry of Interior also stressed that whoever will enter the Kingdom from those previously announced countries or states, or pass through them, as of Nov 1, 2021, is required to have a negative PCR result for the virus conducted after arriving in Saudi Arabia.

The source reiterated that all procedures and measures are subject to continuous evaluation by the health authorities in the Kingdom, as per the developments of the epidemiological situation globally, warning citizens and residents to avoid traveling to the aforementioned countries until further notice.

Earlier on Friday, Saudi Arabia banned flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini amid fears of the high infectious Omicron variant, SPA reported.

-- BERNAMA