Saudi Arabia announced late Tuesday that the whole country would go into 24-hour lockdown for the five-day holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in 10 days. The move rolls back the easing of restrictions that were allowed during the fasting time of Ramadan that started more than two weeks earlier. The same period has also seen a dramatic increase in new infections in Saudi Arabia as well as the rest of the Persian Gulf region.
For the five-day Eid al-Fitr holiday, traditionally a time of feasting and visiting family, Saudi citizens and residents will be confined to their homes, according to the Interior Ministry. The holy city of Mecca, which was an early center of the outbreak, has remained in lockdown throughout this period. Since Ramadan began and authorities eased restrictions, there has been a steady increase in new cases. At the end of April, Saudi Arabia was seeing just 1,000 new cases a day, while it reported 1,911 new cases Tuesday for a total of nearly 43,000 infections.
Kuwait on Sunday instituted a full curfew with just two hours allowed for shopping and exercise. Minister of Health Basel al-Sabah said the failure of the public to abide by social distancing had led to an increase in cases. At the start of Ramadan, Kuwait was reporting around 200 new cases a day; on Tuesday that had soared to nearly 1,000 a day for a total of more than 10,000. In nearby United Arab Emirates, new cases have also increased from an average of 500 a day before the holy month began to nearly 800 a day, but authorities have continued easing restrictions.
On Wednesday it was announced public parks would be reopened as well as private hotel beaches. Water sports and skydiving are now also permitted, and one of the largest cinema companies announced it would open a new drive-in movie theater.