RIYADH (Daily Point) — Saudi Arabia has issued a formal advisory to its citizens, urging them to avoid travel to 25 countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Syria, Nepal, Nigeria, and India.

The advisory, disclosed by local media, is primarily aimed at protecting Saudi citizens from a range of diseases, encompassing polio, dengue, malaria, cholera, monkeypox, measles, and the persistent threat of COVID-19.

The notice, released by the Saudi Department of Health, underscores the potential health hazards associated with these infectious diseases. It advises citizens to abstain from travel, taking into consideration the healthcare infrastructure’s capacity in these countries to handle such health emergencies.

As part of a comprehensive strategy to prevent the potential transmission of these diseases within the kingdom, Saudi Arabia is heightening health screenings for travelers arriving from the specified countries. This stringent measure is intended to mitigate the risk of any epidemic outbreak within the country.

This travel advisory aligns with Saudi Arabia’s rigorous COVID-19 protocols implemented during Hajj and Umrah, where participation was restricted to residents of Saudi Arabia to mitigate the risk of the pandemic’s spread.