Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has ordered for a partial lifting of the curfew in the country, starting from Sunday until May 13, allowing people to go out from 9 am (0600 GMT) until 5 pm
The nationwide curfew was imposed last month to limit an outbreak of the new coronavirus.
According to the Saudi news agency SPA, a 24-hour curfew will, however, remain in place in the holy city of Mecca, the agency added.
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In his decree, the monarch also allowed some businesses, including shopping centres, retail and wholesale stores, and factories to reopen for two weeks, beginning next Wednesday.
The agency said the latest steps were taken on a recommendation from the health bodies and out of the monarch’s interest to ease restrictions on the public.
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, has suspended congregational prayers in mosques and halted religious journeys to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina as part of strict measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
The country has reported so far a total of 1,699 virus cases and 136 deaths.
