Saudi airlift for UK, US citizens

Saudi Arabian Airlines will begin emergency flights this week to take British nationals and their families back to the UK, and similar flights are being arranged for US citizens. Flights to London Heathrow will begin on Sunday from Riyadh and later in the week from Jeddah and Dammam, the British Embassy said. The US Embassy said it was working with Saudi authorities to arrange repatriation flights on a commercial airline, but no flights had been confirmed. US citizens were advised to register online with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program,

US citizens were advised to register online with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, and they would then be kept informed.

and they would then be kept informed.

Saudi Arabia reported 99 new coronavirus cases on Saturday and one death, bringing the totals to 1,203 cases and four deaths. The UAE declared 63 new cases and 468 in total; Oman 21 and a total of 152; and Kuwait 10, for a total of 235. Bahrain has reported 457 cases. Qatar recorded its first death from the coronavirus on Saturday, and confirmed infections rose by 28 to 590. The UAE extended until April 5 its nightly curfew to sterilize public places. The deep-clean campaign between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. began on March 26 and was originally meant to end on Sunday morning.

“We are all hoping that everybody, citizens, residents and visitors, will stay at home during this period,” Health Ministry spokeswoman Farida Al-Hosani said.