A combination photo shows Muslim pilgrims wearing protective face masks, following the outbreak of the coronavirus, as they pray at Kaaba in the Grand mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia March 3, 2020 (top) and general view of Kaaba at the Grand mosque which is almost empty of worshippers, after Saudi authority suspended umrah (Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca) amid the fear of coronavirus outbreak, at Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia March 6, 2020.
In an attempt to control the rapid spread of coronavirus, Kaaba, the building at the center of the Great Mosque of Mecca's courtyard was completely shut down and closed for visitors as workers disinfect the place, Thursday.
The area around the cuboid Kaaba, which is Islam's holiest site, containing a sacred clack stone and is the goal of the Islamic pilgrimag, was completely different from its usual view as photos show it as nearly empty except for cleaners who are working on the scene.
This comes right after Saudi Arabia has ordered a ban on its citizens and foreign pilgrims from taking trips to Mecca and the holy sites in fear of the continued spread of COVID-19.
The place which is usually flocked with crowds throughout the year for Umrah pilgrimages and especially during Hajj pilgrimage in July and August is empty except for a few heads who are part of the team that went there to disinfect the holy place.
So far, Saudi Arabia has confirmed only five cases of coronavirus which all are linked to the cases in Iran which has currently the largest number of cases outside China. Iran is also the epicenter of the outbreak in the Middle East.
Read also: Saudi Arabia Bans Citizens From Taking Mecca Pilgrimage Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Iran previously brushed off the outbreak, saying it is not a big deal, but after recording a high number of cases and deaths, they have woken up and has taken action to control the virus, canceling Friday prayers in centers all over its major cities, as an effort to slow down the virus. This follows after travel from major cities have been restricted, holy sites having been disinfected and being forced to free 54,000 prisoners who tested negative to stop the virus from spreading in jails. The country has also discouraged the use of paper money.
On the other hand, after the first batch of suspected coronavirus cases were reported within their territory, Palestinian officials have announced the indefinite closure of the Church of Nativity in the biblical city of Bethlehem, Thursday.
The announcement was released just a few weeks before Holy Week and Easter when the city expects thousands of pilgrims to come to the worship site which was built on the reputed birthplace of Jesus Christ in the Holy Land.
The closure of the Church of Nativity follows the suspicion that four Palestinians have caught the dreaded diseases and prompted the Palestinian officials to take action which included the banning of tourists from the West Bank for an indefinite period of time and closing other places of worship within Bethlehem for a couple of weeks. The Church is built on the grotto where the manger that Jesus Christ was born as it was said on the bible once stood, and it is only one of the many holy sites and tourist spots that have been closed due to the looming threat of coronavirus.
As of the present the virus has infected almost 100,000 people and has killed more than 3,300 worldwide.
Related article: Dead Bodies Pile Up in Iranian Morgue as Iran's Coronavirus Death Toll Rises
