Riyadh: As many as 79 mosques have been temporarily closed in Saudi Arabia in the past nine days after several worshippers tested positive for COVID-19, the ministry of Islamic affairs said on Tuesday.
While 62 of the mosques that were reopened after sterilization and readiness, were shut before; more nine mosques in six regions were shut after 15 worshippers tested positive for the COVID-19, the local media reports said.
The ministry indicated that two mosques in the Riyadh region, a mosque in the Makkah region, two mosques in the governorates of Al-Ahsa and Dammam in the eastern region, two mosques in Buraidah in the Qassim region, a mosque in Abha province in the Asir region, and a mosque in the Medina region was closed.
The ministry called on worshipers to ensure the implementation of all precautionary measures to prevent the COVID-19 and to sense responsibility towards the homes of God and their visitors, calling upon everyone to cooperate in reporting any laxity in applying the precautionary measures in mosques by calling the Unified Call Center 1933.
The increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases have also led the authorities to shut all recreational activities and events, the closure of cinemas, indoor entertainment centers, independent indoor games venues or those located in restaurants, shopping centers, gyms, sports centers, including restrictions in the provision of internal ordering services in restaurants, cafes, etc.
There are 2,630 active COVID-19 cases in Saudi Arabia out of which 480 are in critical condition.