COVID-19: Shisha ban still in force in Saudi Arabia

Cairo: Saudi health authorities have said that a ban on serving the shisha, imposed last March, is still in force as part of the kingdom’s efforts to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Health Ministry and a national anti-tobacco committee have instructed the continued ban on serving the shisha and different nicotine products in public places, Okaz newspaper reported Tuesday.

The instruction was made by Saudi Health Minister Tawfiq Al Rabiah after receiving a letter from the World Health Organization citing a global surge in virus infections and the reintroduction of the shisha smoking in some countries, the report added.

The Health Ministry has warned that allowing the shisha smoking would result in a spike in virus cases. The kingdom has recently experienced a significant decline in COVID-19 infections that so far have totalled 393,949 cases. Saudi Arabia has reported a tally of 6,295 virus-caused deaths.

Last March, Saudi authorities banned serving the shisha at coffee houses, cafeterias and hotels as part of stringent precautions against the spread of COVID-19.

The ban violation is punishable by a maximum fine of SR20,000.