mo4ch:>Saudi Arabia restricts pilgrimage to most sacred Muslim sites of Mecca & Medina over coronavirus | Mo4ch News

Saudi Arabia has imposed a temporary ban on religious pilgrimage, known as Umrah, to historic Islamic shrines in Mecca and Medina over the coronavirus outbreak that has recently spread to the Middle East.The oil-rich kingdom announced Wednesday that the restrictions were put in place to “provide the utmost protection” to those living in Saudi Arabia as well pilgrims and tourists willing to visit the country.In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said that the government would suspend "entry to the kingdom for the purpose of Umrah" as well as for visiting The Prophet's Mosque in Medina, the second holiest site in Islam after the Grand Mosque in Mecca.Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time of the year as opposed to Ḥajj that should be attempted by every Muslim at least once a lifetime within a specific time of the year.In addition to that, Riyadh suspended entry for anyone that has a valid tourist visa but hails from the countries th…