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Saudi Arabia pauses international umrah, flights over new coronavirus strain

The kingdom has also suspended entry through its land and seaports for one week.
Saudi passengers observe a safe distance as they wait their fligts at terminal 5 in the King Fahad International Airport, designated for domestic flights, in the capital Riyadh on May 31, 2020, after authorities lifted the ban on flights within the country. (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia has suspended flights in and out of the country for one week and put the year-round international umrah pilgrimage on hold following reports of a new strain of the coronavirus emerging in the United Kingdom.

The Saudi government is "suspending all international flights for travelers, except in exceptional cases, temporarily for one week, which can be extended for another week,” the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Sunday.

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