The authorities in Saudi Arabia have shut down 39 mosques in the Kingdom after the coronavirus or COVID-19 cases were suspected among the worshippers or those who are in the charge of sites, as reported by state media.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Call took the decision as a part of the strict health measures to contain the spread of the deadly novel virus, as reported by the Gulf News on Saturday, mentioning the Saudi-owned television Al Arabiya as stating.
Mosques Were Sterilized
Those mosques were being sterilized, Al Arabiya added without specifying their locations. Last week, Saudi Arabia reopened mosques except in Mecca, in line with a plan to gradually return to normal life. Authorities have put in place a set of precautions for performing group prayers in mosques.
They include opening mosques 15 minutes before the Adhan and close them 10 minutes after the end of the prayer with the interval between the Adhan and the start of the prayer shortened to 10 minutes. Worshippers are kept apart with a distance of two meters. Children under 15 are barred from going to mosques as a preventive measure.
Likewise, mosque classes and the Holy Quran memorization gatherings are suspended. Worshippers have their temperatures checked before they are allowed into the mosques. In March, the Kingdom closed the mosques as part of strict measures to curb the spread of the virus.
(With agency inputs)
