RIYADH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz has issued a curfew order from 7 pm until 6 am for a period of 21 days, effective from Monday evening, to limit the spread of coronavirus in the Kingdom.

The Ministry of Interior called on civil and military authorities to co-operate fully with the measures, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Monday.

Some workers will be exempt from the curfew. These include employees of the vital parts of the public and private sectors whose work requires continued performance during the prevention period, the government said.

It also includes employees in the security, military and media sectors, and those in relevant health and service sectors.

The ministry urged citizens to stay in their homes, especially during the curfew, and not to leave except in cases of necessity.

Details of activities excluded from curfew:

* Food sector (points of sale), such as catering, supermarkets, vegetable, poultry, and meat shops, bakeries, and food factories.

* Health sector that includes pharmacies, clinics, hospitals, laboratories, factories of medical devices and materials.

* Various tools in the media sector.

* Transportation sector: Transporting goods, parcels, customs clearance, warehouses, logistics services, and supply chains of health and food sectors, and port operation.

* E-commerce activities: Those working in electronic purchases applications and delivery applications for the excluded activities.

* Accommodation services: Hotels and furnished apartments.

* Energy sector: Fuel stations and emergency services of the Saudi Electricity Company.

* financial services and insurance sector: managing accidents (Najm), urgent health insurance services (approvals), and other insurance services.

* Telecom sector: Internet and communication network operators.

* Water sector: Water company emergency services and home drinking water delivery service.

For more information about the exempted activities, contact the toll-free number 999 in all regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and 911 for Makkah region.

Muezzins are also allowed to reach the mosques to recite the call to prayer during the time of curfew.

Besides, workers in diplomatic missions and international organizations and residents of the diplomatic quarter are allowed to move during the time of curfew from and to their workplaces. — SG