Saudi Arabia bans shisha, tobacco to prevent spread of coronavirus

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Saudi Arabia banned cafes and restaurants in the Kingdom from serving shisha and tobacco as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus, the Saudi Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs said.

“Shisha and tobacco were banned in cafes and restaurants in all the municipalities as a precautionary measure to preserve the health of citizens and residents from coronavirus”, the ministry tweeted on Monday.

The ban had been implemented by local authorities in several Saudi cities, including the capital Riyadh. Inspections will be taking place by municipality teams to sure the restrictions are being followed, the Saudi news agency Ajel said on Monday.

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Teams from municipalities will make field inspections to ensure the strict compliance with the ban. Saudi Health Minister Tawfik Al Rabih who hailed the ban said, “Tobacco and the shisha can cause infection transmission as they are shared.”

Saudi Arabia screened more than 500,000 travelers coming into the Kingdom over the past few days, a health ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

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