Saudis ban Muslim pilgrimage in Mecca over fears about virus

Tehran, Mar 4 (AP) Saudi Arabia has banned citizens and residents from performing the Muslim pilgrimage in Mecca over fears about new virus. The announcement came on the state-run Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday, quoting an unnamed Interior Ministry official announcing the ban.

It gave no time frame for how long the suspension will stand. Last week, Saudi Arabia closed off the holiest sites in Islam to foreign pilgrims over the coronavirus. That disrupted travel for thousands of Muslims already headed to the kingdom and potentially affecting plans later this year for millions more ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan and the annual hajj pilgrimage. (AP) NSA.