Cairo: Saudi authorities have intensified clean-up efforts inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah as part of the kingdom’s efforts to protect worshippers from the spread of the new coronavirus, officials said Tuesday.
The authorities in charge of the holy site have intensified round-the-clock efforts to keep the mosque constantly clean, using disinfectants and environmentally friendly substances in the process, Abdul Hamid Al Maliki, the assistant undersecretary at the Service Affairs agency, told Saudi newspaper Asharq Al Awsat.
The sprawling mosque, home to the holy Kaba’a to which Muslims turn during their prayers, is cleaned several times every day, he added.
“Coordination is under way with the governmental and non-governmental agencies working in the field of health to distribute medical facemasks and disinfectants,” Al Maliki said.
Carpets rolled out across the mosque are washed and sterilised, Jaber Wadani, another official, said.
“The worshippers find prayer places sterilised and fully cleaned even in courtyards where there are no carpets,” Wadani added.
“Efforts have been intensified in terms of cleanliness, arrangement, sweeping and spraying fragrance in all parts of the Holy Mosque,” he told the paper.
As many as 4,000 workers are engaged in the clean-up process using sophisticated equipment.
Last week, Saudi Arabia temporarily halted the Umrah pilgrimage trips to the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) Mosque in Medina amid fears of an outbreak of the coronavirus.
The kingdom Monday reported its first case of the viral ailment.
