Pakistan restricts mosque prayers in virus precaution

In this file photo, a Muslim man wearing a facemask amid concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, offers Friday prayers along the roadside in Islamabad on March 20, 2020. (AFP)

• 30,000 health workers to be provided with protective gear by Sunday
• Disinfection underway in cities where big numbers of coronavirus cases have been reported — NDMA

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government announced on Thursday that prayer attendance at mosques would be restricted to a “few people,” while all educational institutions will remain closed until May 31 in a move to slow the spread of coronavirus.
“Friday prayers and other prayers across the country will remain limited to a few people only. Mosques will not be closed, but congregations will remain limited to a few healthy people,” Religious Affairs Minister Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri said at a press conference in Islamabad, following a National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting that was presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan and attended by all four provincial chief ministers, senior cabinet ministers and military leadership.
“We are doing all this to prevent spread of the virus,” Minister Qadri said, adding that President Arif Alvi had helped in reaching a consensus among religious leaders on the mosque prayers restriction.
While announcing the extension of school closures from April 5 to May 31, Planning Minister Asad Umar also said that transportation limitations will be reviewed on Friday, as movement of heavy vehicles is necessary to ensure food supplies.
“There is no wheat or flour shortage in the country, enough stocks are available,” he assured the public, “The government won’t allow any hoarding, and the state will move with full force against hoarders.”
The prime minister's special assistant on public health, Dr. Zafar Mirza, said the government would provide personal protection equipment (PPE) to all health workers by April 5, while 30,000 of them will get the protective gear by Sunday.
“We are trying our best to ensure safety of our health workers,” he said.
Pakistan has 194,000 health practitioners, 30,000 of whom work in intensive care units.
Also during the NCC meeting, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt. Gen. Muhammad Afzal said the government has established 162,000 quarantine beds across the country, including at three and four-star hotels.
The government wants to increase the number of ventilators at hospitals from the current 2,200 to 10,000 by May, he said, adding that disinfection was underway in the places where big numbers of coronavirus cases have been reported.
Pakistan had 1,118 known cases of the coronavirus with eight fatalities as of Thursday. The first case was recorded on Feb. 20. 
A host of measures to contain the outbreak have been taken by the government, including the suspension of air travel, partial lockdowns of cities, and establishment of large quarantine centers.