Bahrain delays re-opening mosques amid dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases
Decision taken in consultations with heads of heads of Sunni, Jaafari endowments
Manama: Bahrain on Wednesday postponed the planned resumption of Friday prayers on June 5 following a dramatic increase in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths.
The Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments said the postponement decision was taken following consultations between the heads of the National Medical Taskforce to combat COVID-19, and the heads of the Sunni and Jaafari endowment departments overseeing the mosques in the country.
The tripartite meeting agreed to postpone re-opening the mosques following the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases resulting from large public gatherings on Eid days, the ministry said in a statement.
Bahrain has had a singularly tough week, registering 2,882 cases. The number represented more than one fifth of the 12,574 infections since the first case was reported 100 days ago.
The five more deaths in the same week are one quarter of the total now standing at 20.
Friday and congregational prayers were suspended at all mosques and prayer areas in late March as part of the precautionary and preventive measures taken by Bahrain to combat the highly contagious virus, including the ban on the gathering of more than five people in public places. People were urged to perform their prayers at home.
On May 26, the ministry said the Friday prayers would resume in Bahrain’s mosques starting June 5.
A new date to allow congregational prayers will be decided at a later time based on regular assessment of the latest developments regarding the spread of the coronavirus.