Ministry of Islamic Affairs, on Tuesday, announced the reopening of three mosques following the temporary closure after individuals test positive for COVID-19.
According to the ministry, the three mosques were identified as Masjid al-Sultan Hassan Izzuddin, Masjid al-Sultan Mohamed Imaduddin and Masjid al-Afeefuddin, and underwent disinfection procedures before reopening.
The Islamic Ministry first suspended prayer congregations in mosques located in the Greater Male' area on March 18 over the COVID-19 pandemic.
A month later, following the detection of the first local transmission of COVID-19 in capital Male' on April 15 and the subsequent lockdown of the Greater Male' Region, the government suspended all congregational prayers in every mosque across Maldives on April 19.
Authorities commenced a phased easing of lockdown restrictions on May 28, with the second phase beginning on June 15, which saw mosques reopened for individual prayers. However, congregational prayers resumed on July 1, following the enaction of the third phase of easing lockdown measures.
The number of COVID-19 cases increased after the state initiated efforts to steer the country towards a 'new normal' across the Greater Male' Region. Government offices and businesses including shops, cafe's and restaurants restarted services on July 1 while authorities reopened Maldives' borders for tourism on July 15.
Maldives currently records a total number of positive cases at 2,999, with 600 active cases. Till date, the country recorded 2,369 recoveries and 15 fatalities.
On March 12, WHO classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. To date, the new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 14.8 million people and claimed over 613,248 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 8.9 million people have recovered.
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