RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will end a nationwide curfew and lift restrictions on businesses from today after three months of lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The curfew will be lifted at 6am, the interior ministry announced yesterday.
Restrictions will remain, however, for religious pilgrimages, international travel and social gatherings of more than 50 people.
Entry into the country for Umrah in Mecca or for tourism will continue to be halted. Individuals must also wear a mask at all times when they are out in public.
The kingdom introduced stringent measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus in March, including 24-hour curfews on most towns and cities. In May, it announced a three-phase plan to ease restrictions on movement and travel, culminating in the curfew completely ending today.
The number of coronavirus infections has risen in recent weeks following a relaxation of movement and travel restrictions on May 28.
The kingdom has recorded 154,223 cases of Covid-19 and a total of 1,230 deaths, the highest in the GCC.