Mecca (Web Desk): Saudi Arabia on early morning Friday re-opened Mecca, Medina holy sites after they were temporarily closed for sterilisation amid the coronavirus outbreak, al-Ekhbariya state TV reported.
The Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina were closed after Thursday’s night prayer for cleaning and sterilization.
However, the courtyard around the Kaaba, known as the mataf, and the pathway between al-Safa and al-Marwah will remain closed for the duration of the suspension of the Umrah pilgrimage which was declared as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
The authorities said prayer will only be permitted from inside the mosque.
Saudi Arabia had confirmed five coronavirus cases as of Thursday, all of whom had arrived in the Kingdom through Bahrain or Kuwait, originally coming from Iran.