In this file photo, Iraqi pilgrims returning from the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia wait at passport control inside the terminal of Najaf International Airport outside the central holy Iraqi shrine city on August 17, 2019, following their arrival. (HAIDAR HAMDANI / AFP)
RIYADH / DUBAI / RAMALLAH / LUSAKA / NEW DELHI / DOHA / DHAKA / ANKARA / SEOUL / WELLINGTON — Saudi Arabia could drastically limit numbers at the annual haj pilgrimage to prevent a further outbreak of coronavirus after cases in the country topped 100,000, sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.
Two sources familiar with the matter said authorities are now considering allowing “only symbolic numbers” this year, with restrictions including a ban on older pilgrims and additional health checks
Some 2.5 million pilgrims visit the holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long haj, a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it. Official data show haj and the lesser, year-round umrah pilgrimage earn the kingdom about US$12 billion a year.
Saudi Arabia asked Muslims in March to put haj plans on hold and suspended umrah until further notice.
Two sources familiar with the matter said authorities are now considering allowing “only symbolic numbers” this year, with restrictions including a ban on older pilgrims and additional health checks.
With strict procedures, authorities think it may be possible to allow in up to 20 percent of each country’s regular quota of pilgrims, another source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Some officials are still pushing for a cancellation of the haj, expected to start in late July, the three sources said.
The government media office and a spokesman for the haj and umrah ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Limiting or cancelling haj will further pressure government finances hit by the plunge in oil prices and the pandemic. Analysts predict a severe economic contraction this year.
On Sunday, the kingdom halted international passenger flights and reimposed a curfew in Jeddah, where haj flights land, after a spike in infections in the city.
In 2019, around 19 million pilgrims attended umrah while haj drew 2.6 million. An economic reform plan of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman aims to increase umrah and haj capacity to 30 million pilgrims annually and generate 50 billion riyals (US$13.32 billion) of revenues by 2030.
New Zealand
New Zealand has eliminated transmission of the coronavirus domestically and will lift all containment measures except for border controls, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday, making it one of the first countries to do so.
Public and private events, the retail and hospitality industries and all public transport could resume without social distancing norms still in place across much of the world, she said.
“While the job is not done, there is no denying this is a milestone ... Thank you, New Zealand,” Ardern told reporters.
“We are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus in New Zealand for now, but elimination is not a point in time, it is a sustained effort.”
This was largely due to 75 days of restrictions including about seven weeks of a strict lockdown in which most businesses were shut and everyone except essential workers had to stay at home.
Border controls would remain and everyone entering the country would be tested, she said.
There were no active cases in New Zealand for the first time since the virus arrived in late February, the health ministry said. New Zealand has reported 1,154 infections and 22 deaths from the disease.
Zambia
Zambia reported three more deaths related to COVID-19 in the last seven days, bringing the total to 10, health authorities said on Monday.
The three, two men and one woman from the Copperbelt Province, had underlying health conditions, said Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Administration Kakulubelwa Mulalelo.
Zambia reported 111 new COVID-19 cases in the last week, when 8,805 tests were conducted.
So far, Zambia has reported 1,200 confirmed cases since March 18, when the country reported its first two cases.
India
The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 pandemic in India crossed the 7,000-mark, reaching 7,135 on Monday, as the total number of cases surpassed 250,000, reaching 256,611, said the latest data issued by the health ministry.
The ministry's data said that 206 new deaths due to COVID-19, besides fresh 9,983 positive cases were reported during the past 24 hours across the country.
This is the highest spike in terms of fresh cases in the country so far.
Qatar
Qatar's Health Ministry on Monday announced 1,368 new infections of COVID-19, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 70,158.
"Some 1,597 people recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 45,935, while three others died, raising the fatalities up to 57," the official Qatar News Agency reported, quoting a statement by the ministry.
It revealed that infections had doubled due to people's gatherings and visits, and ignoring of preventive measures recommended by the government, the most important of which is staying at home and maintaining social distancing.
A total of 259,646 persons in Qatar have undergone lab tests for COVID-19 so far, it added.
China and Qatar have offered mutual help during the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. On Feb. 21, five Qatar Airways cargo freighters flew to China carrying approximately 300 tons of medical supplies donated by the airline.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh on Monday reported 42 more deaths and 2,735 new COVID-19 cases.
Nasima Sultana, a senior health ministry official, told an online media briefing in Dhaka that 42 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed in a 24-hour period, bringing the total number of fatalities in the country since March 18 to 930.
She said the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased to 68,504, with the daily rise of 2,735 cases reported in the last 24 hours.
According to the official, 12,944 samples were tested in the last 24 hours in labs across Bangladesh.
During the last 24 hours, 657 more patients were released from hospitals and clinics, bringing the number of recovered patients in the country to 14,560, said the official.
Iran
Iran's confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 171,789 on Sunday after an overnight registration of 2,364 new infections, official IRNA news agency reported.
The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 8,281 Iranians, up by 72 in the past 24 hours. Besides, 134,349 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals while 2,596 remain in critical condition.
Iran's health officials have urged the people to wear face masks in public places, particularly in the public transport vehicles as the country has started to restart businesses and social activities.
South Korea
South Korea reported 38 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of 0:00 am Monday local time, raising the total number of infections to 11,814.
The daily caseload fell below 40 after staying above 50 for two days in a row. Of the new cases, five were imported from overseas, lifting the combined figure to 1,297.
Small cluster infections were found relevant to religious gatherings, night spots, sports facility, a distribution center, an amusement park and a health product retailer in the metropolitan area.
No more death was confirmed, leaving the death toll at 273. The total fatality rate stood at 2.31 percent.
Japan
Japan should focus on back-stopping struggling businesses rather than trying to spark overall demand in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, its economy minister said, suggesting the central bank should avoid pushing interest rates deeper into negative territory.
The remark by Yasutoshi Nishimura, made in an exclusive interview with Reuters, underscores the challenge Tokyo faces in supporting an economy bracing for its worst postwar slump, while preventing a renewed spike in infections.
Turkey
Turkey's COVID-19 cases increased by 914 on Sunday, as the total cases climbed to 170,132, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.
Meanwhile, 23 people died in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 4,692, the minister tweeted.
Turkey conducted 35,335 tests in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall number of tests to 2,338,593, he said.
A total of 2,647 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, raising the total recoveries to 137,969 in Turkey since the outbreak, Koca said, noting that 613 patients are being treated at the intensive care units and 274 are intubated.
ALSO READ: NZ has no new COVID-19 case for 16 consecutive days
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia registered 3,045 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total cases to 101,914, the health ministry tweeted.
The death toll reached 712 after the reporting of 36 new fatalities.
The recoveries increased to 72,817 with the 1,026 newly recovered cases.
Saudi Arabia has 28,385 actives cases, of which 1,564 are in critical condition.
Israel
The Israeli Ministry of Health reported that the number of coronavirus patients increased to 17,836 in the country on Sunday, after 111 new patients were detected.
According to the ministry, the number of death cases increased from 295 to 298. The number of recoveries increased to 15,091, with 41 new recoveries.
The Israeli government company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced on Sunday that it has developed a model for predicting the medical condition of coronavirus patients.
The model is based on artificial intelligence, big data, and machine learning technologies, and can provide better treatment for COVID-19 patients.
Iraq
Iraq's Health Ministry on Sunday said that the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country climbed to 12,366 after setting a new record of daily increase with 1,268 infections.
The ministry said in a statement that 28 people died from the coronavirus during the day, bringing the death toll in the country to 346, while 5,186 patients have recovered.
The United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday announced 540 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 38,808.
UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention said in a statement that the new cases of many nationalities are all in a stable condition and receiving medical treatment.
According to the ministry, 745 more patients have made full recovery from the virus, taking the tally of the UAE's recoveries to 21,806.
The ministry also confirmed one more death, pushing the country's death toll to 276.
Kuwait
Kuwait on Sunday reported 717 new cases of COVID-19 and 10 more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 31,848 and the death toll to 264, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
Currently, 11,379 patients are receiving treatment, including 196 in ICU, according to the statement.
The ministry also announced the recovery of 923 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 20,205.
Oman
The Omani Ministry of Health announced on Sunday 866 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 16,882.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, all new cases, including 319 Omanis, are related to community contact.
The statement also said that the total recovered cases of COVID-19 reached 3,451. Three new deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 75.
The ministry called on people to observe the procedures for quarantine, avoid public places or places of worship, and ensure public hygiene.
Palestine
Palestine on Sunday said eight new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the West Bank, bringing the total number of infection cases in the country to 651.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement that the number of recovered cases has reached 558, while the death toll reached five.
READ MORE: Singapore considers tightening casino rules for customers
Nepal
The Nepali government has clarified that the Himalayan country has not allowed commercial chartered flights during the ongoing suspension of international flights that Nepal has been enforcing since March.
By issuing a notice on Saturday evening, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the aviation regulatory body, said that it has noticed that some international airlines have commenced booking for commercial passenger flights to and from Nepal.
India
The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 pandemic in India crossed the 7,000-mark, reaching 7,135 on Monday, as the total number of cases surpassed 250,000, reaching 256,611, said the latest data issued by the health ministry.
The ministry's data said that 206 new deaths due to COVID-19, besides fresh 9,983 positive cases were reported during the past 24 hours across the country.
This is the highest spike in terms of fresh cases in the country so far.
Pakistan
Pakistan has recorded more than 100,000 coronavirus infections, officials statistics showed on Monday and the rise in daily infections has prompted authorities to begin strict enforcement of government safety measures.
The south Asian nation, which has registered 2,067 deaths and 103,671 infections of the novel coronavirus, lifted its lockdown last month but promulgated protocols for the reopening of markets, industries and public transport - including mandatory wearing of masks and social distancing.
“First we educated the masses about the protocols, then we warned them, and now, in the last meeting with the prime minister in the chair, we directed administrations to crack down on places protocols are not being followed,” Pakistan’s Planning Minister Asad Umar said in a news conference at the weekend.
Many markets and shops have been sealed because of non-compliance over the last few days, said Umar, who also heads the national response to the pandemic.
Pakistan has been setting records for the number of new daily infections over the last 10 days, partly reflecting increased testing.
Mongolia
Mongolia's National Center for Communicable Disease (NCCD) confirmed on Monday one more COVID-19 case, bringing the total infections in the country to 194.
The latest case is a 38-year-old Russian citizen who is a transport driver, Dulmaa Nyamkhuu, head of the NCCD, said at a daily press conference.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan reported 25 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, taking its total infections to 2,032.
Among the new confirmed cases, five are medical workers, bringing the number of infected medical workers to 400, including 282 recoveries, the country's Deputy Health Minister Nurbolot Usenbaev said at a daily briefing.
He also reported one new virus-related death, raising the nationwide death toll to 23.
Meanwhile, 20 more patients have recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 1,445, the official added.
There are currently 564 patients in the country hospitalized for COVID-19, with three in the intensive care unit.
The Philippines
The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines rose to 22,474 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 579 more infections on Monday.
The DOH said in a daily bulletin that the number of recoveries further climbed to 4,637 after 107 more patients have survived the disease.
The death toll also increased to 1,011 after eight more patients have succumbed to the viral disease, the DOH added.
According to the DOH, 220 of the daily reported cases were in Metro Manila, 161 cases in the Central Visayas region in the central Philippines and 166 cases were reported in other parts of the country.
The DOH added that 32 overseas Filipino workers repatriated by the government have also tested positive for the virus.
Indonesia
The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 847 within one day to 32,033, with the death toll adding by 32 to 1,883, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said at a press conference on Monday.
He said 406 more people had been discharged from hospitals, making the total number of recovered patients stand at 10,904.
Malaysia
Malaysian health authorities on Monday reported 7 new coronavirus cases, the lowest daily increase since movement and business curbs were imposed 3 months ago.
The new cases raised the cumulative total to 8,329 cases. The health ministry also reported no new deaths, keeping total fatalities at 117.
