(150926) -- MECCA, Sept. 26, 2015 (Xinhua) -- Muslim pilgrims head to attend Hajj rituals in Mina outside Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 26, 2015. The death toll in Thursday's stampede in Mina, neighboring the holy city Mecca, has risen to 769, Saudi Health Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Saturday. The accident took place amid a rush of the stoning as part of Hajj rituals. Muslim pilgrims throw stones on a wall representing devil. (Xinhua)

Saudi to reopen Mecca mosques on Sunday

June 20, 2020

More than 1,500 mosques are due to reopen Sunday in the holy city of Mecca amid strict health precautions after three-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, a media report said.

Late last month, mosques reopened across Saudi Arabia, except in Mecca, for congregation prayers as part of a phased plan for gradual return to normalcy, said the Gulf news report.

On Sunday, nearly 1,560 mosques in Mecca will reopen for worshippers starting from the Fajr prayer.

The branch of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in Mecca has readied the city’s mosques for the planned reopening by putting in place precautions that include the use of personal prayer rugs, and keeping distancing among worshippers.

Photo shows an aerial view of the Clock Tower and the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca.(Xinhua/Wangbo)

The Ministry has hired agencies to sterilise and clean up the places of worship during their shutdowns, added the Gulf News report.

Volunteers have worked over the past days in implementing precautionary steps inside Mecca’s mosques including pasting signs on carpets showing worshippers distancing while they offer prayers.

As of Saturday, Saudi Arabia reported a total of 150,292 COVID-19 cases, with 1,184 deaths.

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