Saudi Arabia suspends Umrah pilgrimage for fear of COVID-19

Saudi Arabia says it has temporarily suspended entry for individuals aiming to perform Umrah pilgrimage or to visit the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina over concerns of the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia tweeted early Thursday that the temporary suspension of Umrah is a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the new disease.

Seems like a big deal.