Saudi ruler, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has issued a directive to provide financial aid to the World Health Organization (WHO) to help it combat and arrest the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19)

As per the directive, the kingdom will provide a US$10 million aid to WHO, following an urgent appeal from the organisation asking all nations to intensify global efforts to combat the spread of the virus, according to King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief)Health

The Kingdom reported five new cases of the coronavirus on Monday bringing the total of cases to 20. Four citizens were diagnosed with the disease, three of whom arrived from Iran and Iraq. The fifth case was of an Egyptian.

Earlier in new measures to arrest the spread of the virus, Saudi Arabia also closed its borders to air and sea travel from 14 virus-affected countries. Travel has been cut off with Bahrain, Egypt, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Spain, South Korea, Syria, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

“Out of concern to protect the health of citizens and residents and ensure their safety, the kingdom’s government decided to temporarily suspend the travel,” it said in a statement attributed to an unnamed Interior Ministry official.

The kingdom has already closed off its land borders and has also suspended any pilgrimage visits to both the Holy sites.