Nationwide lockdown eased in Saudi Arabia

Riyadh:  Saudi Arabia on Thursday started easing a five-day nationwide lockdown imposed during the festival of Eid amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A round-the-clock curfew has been partially relaxed except in the holy city of Mecca, which has the highest number of COVID-19 cases, reports the BBC.

Anyone wishing to leave home though is required to obtain a permit through a government app.

Measures will be further eased in phases over the next few weeks until the lockdown is fully lifted.

It is still unclear whether the major annual Haj pilgrimage will go ahead at the end of July.

Saudi Arabia has had more cases of coronavirus than any other place in the Arab world, with 78,541 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 425 deaths.