Suspension of group prayers during Ramadan is ‘possible’ in Saudi Arabia

JEDDAH: A decision to suspend group prayers in mosques during Ramadan is possible due to the increase in coronavirus infections, according to a professor of anesthesiology and intensive care at King Saud University.

Prof. Nasser Tawfiq, who was giving an interview to Al-Ekhbariya channel, said people needed to follow the precautionary measures that had been put in place by authorities to curb the spread of the virus in order to avoid further restrictions being imposed.

“With the continued increase in COVID-19 infections in the Kingdom, a decision may be made to prevent prayer in mosques,” he said.

The Ministry of Health reiterated its calls for everyone to register and take the COVID-19 vaccine, saying it would contribute to achieving herd immunity and a return to normal life.

It has set up more than 500 vaccination centers in all regions of the Kingdom.

The number of Saudis and expats who have received their COVID-19 jabs so far has reached 3,865,638.

Saudi Arabia reported seven more COVID-19-related deaths on Friday, bringing the death toll to 6,637. The Ministry of Health also reported 510 new COVID-19 cases.

The new infections mean that 387,292 people have contracted the disease in Saudi Arabia. The country has 4,452 active cases, 630 of which are in a critical condition.

Most of the new cases were in Riyadh, which had 213, there were 94 in the Eastern Province, 79 in Makkah, and 20 in Madinah.

There have been a further 372 patient recoveries, bringing this total to 376,203.

Saudi Arabia has so far conducted more than 14.86 million PCR tests, with 56,431 carried out in the past 24 hours.

Health clinics set up by the ministry as testing hubs or treatment centers have helped hundreds of thousands of people around the Kingdom since the pandemic started.

Among those testing hubs are Taakad (make sure) centers and Tetamman (rest assured) clinics.

Taakad centers provide COVID-19 testing for people who show no or mild symptoms, or they believe they have come into contact with an infected person.

The Tetamman clinics offer treatment and advice to those with virus symptoms such as fever, loss of taste and smell, and breathing difficulties.

Appointments for either service can be made through the ministry’s Sehhaty app.