The UAE News report: After Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait have also announced closure of their borders due to the outbreak of a new wave of coronavirus.

Oman has shut down land, air and sea borders starting December 22. The border closure will be in effect for one week. On the other hand, Kuwait will close its borders and suspend all international commercial flights until Monday, January 1, according to the government communications office.

Earlier today, Saudi Arabia had suspended all international commercial flights for a renewable week.

Entry to the kingdom through land and sea ports were suspended as well. The measures came after the spread of a new strain of Covid-19 in several countries in Europe.

The new strain is believed to be 70 per cent more transmissible.

Several countries, including India, have suspended flights from the UK over the new strain.

Kuwait’s civil aviation authority had added the United Kingdom to its high-risk list of countries on Sunday, banning all flights from the UK.

However, it has now taken the extra precautionary measure of closing all borders until the start of the new year, making it the third Gulf country to do so.

The decision follows measures imposed by various countries following the outbreak of a new strain of COVID-19. It follows Saudi Arabia, which suspended late on Sunday all international commercial flights, as well as all entry through land and ports, for a renewable week. – abdulbasit@theuaenews.com