Saudi Arabia suspends entry for Umrah pilgrims, tourists amid coronavirus

FILE PHOTO: Muslims perform Umrah around the holy Kaaba at the Great Mosque during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, May 26, 2019. REUTERS/Waleed Ali

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia on Thursday suspended arrivals by foreigners for the Umrah pilgrimage and tourists from two dozen countries where the new coronavirus has spread, as a growing number of cases globally deepened fears of a pandemic.

The holy fasting month of Ramadan begins in late April, when visits by Muslim pilgrims accelerate for Umrah. More than 7.5 million people performed the minor pilgrimage - as opposed to the haj - in the birthplace of Islam during 2019, according to official figures.