Saudi Arabia issues travel advisory as COVID-19 cases multiply worldwide

File photo (For illustration)

Saudi Arabia has advised against "unnecessary travel" for its residents, especially to high-risk countries, in light of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The advisory was issued by the Kingdom's public health authority, Weqaya, according to a report by the Saudi Press Agency.

The authority also recommended travellers flying into the country avoid social contact for five days, and take a PCR test if their body temperature rises or they show respiratory symptoms.

Common precautionary measures, including wearing a mask, sanitizing surface areas and taking the booster jab are all being recommended by the Saudi authority to safeguard against COVID-19.

The Kingdom reported 116 cases of COVID-19 on December 18, with 34 critical cases, and one new death. The total fatality rate stands at 8,861, while the recovery tally reached 539,981.

More from International news

  • 100 dead in Papua New Guinea landslide

    A landslide in a remote village in northern Papua New Guinea killed around 100 people, the Australian Broadcasting Corp said.

  • 20 Singapore Airlines passengers remain in intensive care

    Twenty people who were aboard a Singapore Airlines flight that hit severe turbulence and diverted to Bangkok for an emergency landing on Tuesday remain in intensive care. Others are being treated for spinal cord and brain injuries.

  • Four dead in Mallorca building collapse

    A two-storey restaurant building collapsed on the beach in Palma de Mallorca killing at least four people and injuring 16 people in the tourism hot spot in Spain's Balearic Islands.

  • Israeli forces kill dozens in deeper Gaza push

    Israeli forces killed 35 Palestinians in aerial and ground bombardments across the Gaza Strip on Thursday and battled in close combat with Hamas in areas of the southern city of Rafah, health officials and Hamas media said.

News