Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia to introduce full lockdown during Eid holidays

There are more than 42,000 cases of the virus in the kingdom

Workers clean and sterilise the roof of Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, amid the coronavirus pandemic on April 21, 2020. Saudi Press Agency via Reuters

A manager wearing protective gloves checks the temprature of a worker amid the coronavirus pandemic at a restaurant, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on April 26, 2020. Reuters

Restaurant workers wearing protective suits walk to disinfect the restaurant's cars to prepare them for food delivery during the month of Ramadan on April 19, 2020. Reuters

Workers clean and sterilise the roof of Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah during the month of Ramadan on April 21, 2020. Saudi Press Agency handout via Reuters

A worker cleans and sterilises the roof of Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Saudi city of Makkah amid the outbreak of the coronavirus on April 21, 2020. Saudi Press Agency handout via Reuters

A man loads grocery bags on to his vehicle amid a nationwide curfew to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the Saudi capital Riyadh on April 13, 2020. AFP

Customers queue outside a supermarket while maintaining social distancing during a nationwide curfew to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the Saudi capital Riyadh on April 13, 2020, ahead of the month of Ramadan. AFP

A Saudi man walks past a poster depicting Saudi King Salman, after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on March 25, 2020. Reuters

An aerial view shows the Grand Mosque and the Makkah Tower, deserted on the first day of Ramadan, in the Saudi city of Makkah, on April 24, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus crisis AFP

A Saudi nurse checks a patient's temperature at a mobile clinic in Ajyad Almasafi district of Makkah on April 7, 2020 amid the Covid-19. pandemic. AFP

An aerial view shows deserted streets in the Saudi holy city of Makkah. AFP

Worshippers circumambulate the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP

Employees of the Covid-19 coronavirus disease operations room of the Saudi Red Crescent. AFP

Saudi Arabia will introduce full-day lockdowns and curfews across the country to contain the coronavirus during this year's Eid holidays, from May 23 until May 27, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.

The decision for the holidays, which follow the end of Ramadan, comes after a sharp rise in infections.

Although most parts of the kingdom were put under full lockdown following the outbreak, the government last month relaxed the curfew between 9am and 5pm.

Until the end of Ramadan, all economic activities will stay open and people can continue to move freely between these hours. However, the government did not ease restrictions in areas where cases were high.

Makkah, for example, remains under full lockdown and movement to and from neighbourhoods in lockdown remains barred.

The ministry stressed the need to adhere to the procedures for social separation, including preventing gatherings of five or more people, to avoid penalties.

Saudi Arabia has reported the highest number of virus cases in the Gulf region at 42,925 with 264 deaths.

For three consecutive days, the country reported more than 1,900 daily cases. Almost half of all deaths in the kingdom have occurred in the past two and a half weeks.

In March, the kingdom suspended the Umrah over fears of the disease spreading in Islam's holiest cities.

Authorities are yet to announce whether they will proceed with this year's Hajj, scheduled for late July, but they have urged Muslims to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage.

King Salman has warned of a "more difficult" fight ahead against Covid-19 as the country faces the double blow of virus-led shutdowns and reduced oil prices.