Coronavirus: Two-week lockdown imposed in Dubai, Saudi seals parts of Jeddah


Dubai, Apr 5 (Agencies): Dubai has imposed a lockdown for two weeks beginning Saturday April 4 night in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

Saudi Arabia too sealed several neighbourhoods of Jeddah as part of tightened measures in big cities across the Gulf states.

Dubai had been under an overnight curfew along with the rest of United Arab Emirates since March 26. Its Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management said the lockdown would now run around the clock for two weeks, state news agency WAM said.

In neighbouring Saudi Arabia, authorities announced a lockdown and a partial curfew in seven neighbourhoods of Jeddah also starting on Saturday as part of measures to contain the outbreak, the interior ministry said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia is worst hit in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) group of Arab oil monarchies. It had reported 2,179 cases of confirmed infections up until Saturday and 29 deaths.

In Dubai, mobility will be restricted and legal action taken against violators though supermarkets and pharmacies, as well as food and drug delivery services would continue normal operations, WAM said.

People can only leave their homes for essential purposes and just one family member is permitted to go out at any one time. People working in vital sectors, or those exempted from restrictions, will not be affected.

Dubai’s metro and tram service will be suspended for two weeks and free bus transportation and a 50% discount on taxi rides will be offered during the lockdown.

The emirate, which had previously sealed of the Al Ras area where there is a large migrant population, will conduct extensive medical tests across densely populated areas.

The United Arab Emirates, where infected cases have jumped by 840 since April, also extended its de facto overnight curfew indefinitely to disinfect public areas by spraying streets, parks and public transport facilities.

Abu Dhabi’s government on Saturday extended closure of malls, cinemas, entertainment facilities and gyms until further notice, Wam reported.

The oil-rich federation has reported an uptick in coronavirus cases with several hundred people diagnosed since April 1. On Saturday, UAE reported 241 infections and one death over the past 24 hours, taking the total confirmed cases to 1,505 and the death toll to 10, according to government tweets.

The UAE recommends that people wear masks when leaving home, a health ministry spokeswoman told a news conference on TV.

In Saudi Arabia, said residents in seven Jeddah neighbourhoods could only go out for grocery shopping and medical care between 6 a.m. (0300 GMT) and 3 p.m and movement in and out of the areas will be restricted.

Similar measures have been announced in the past few days in other Saudi cities, including the Gulf port of Dammam, the main entry point for supply to the kingdom’s oil industry.

Kuwait announced its first death from COVID-19 on Saturday. The total number of people diagnosed with the disease in the country rose by 62 over the past 24 hours to 479, Kuwait’s state news agency KUNA said, citing the health ministry.

Kuwait and Oman are the GCC countries least affected by the pandemic. Oman had reported 277 cases and one death up until Saturday while Qatar last updated its official COVID-19 page on Friday, reporting 1,075 cases and three deaths.

 

  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • Aubb, kuwait / India.

    Sun, Apr 05 2020

    Quote:
    ""Dubai’s metro and tram service will be suspended for two weeks and free bus transportation and a 50% discount on taxi rides will be offered during the lockdown.""
    Unquote.

    Here in Kuwait, ""Public bus transport, 16,000 taxis are banned from carrying passengers since one month""!!

    We too have a strict partial Lockdown in place to manage our lives.

    Imagine the plight of people having to go to work, and not finding any mode of transport in Kuwait.

    Besides, Kuwait doesn't have metro unlike our neighbor Dubai.

    Dubai has shown wisdom in providing mobility to the masses in this time of crisis.

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mohammed, Mangalore

    Sun, Apr 05 2020

    Airports should be sealed ..!!

    DisAgree [1] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Valerian’, Mangalore

    Sun, Apr 05 2020

    Many of the imported cases in India are from these countries. Impose travel restriction from Dubai even after India lifts shutdown to safeguard interest of people.

    DisAgree [8] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ershad Bolar, Mangaluru / Dubai

    Sun, Apr 05 2020

    Not locked down yet.
    #Dubai extends its sterilisation programme to 24 hours a day for two weeks and enforces strict restrictions on movement, with legal action to be taken against violators.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • J.F D SOUZA, Attavar, Mangalore

    Sun, Apr 05 2020

    Dont permit Dubai persons to travel by Air to mangalore as so far those who have come by flight were found positive. So restrict their coming. If they come let them produce a certificate about their fitness and produce to the ticket booking counter or at Air Port.

    DisAgree [23] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ivy, Dubai

    Mon, Apr 06 2020

    Why you think this way? All Dubai bound passengers are infected with coronavirus. No one wishes to have it. Its an invisible enemy. One infected person travel together it affects other passengers too.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Evans C. Sumitra, Udupi/ New York, USA.

    Sun, Apr 05 2020

    Dubai and Saudi government has done a good thing by imposing two-week lockdown due to the increase in number of coronavirus cases. It is betterment for all the people living there as COVID-19 is a deadly disease and difficult to contain as there is no cure for it so far. Best is STAY HOME and BE SAFE.

    DisAgree [7] Agree [35] Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: Coronavirus: Two-week lockdown imposed in Dubai, Saudi seals parts of Jeddah



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.