Morocco’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs announced on Tuesday the decision to increase the number of mosques to be reopened to 10,000.
It allowed these mosques to host the five daily prayers, as well as Friday sermons and prayers, effective on Friday.
The ministry stated that it will do all what is necessary to make this process a success and follow up the developments in coordination with the competent authorities.
It stressed that it will take into consideration the same preventive measures taken in mosques that have previously opened for the five daily prayers.
Moroccan community bodies had launched an appeal to open more mosques and hold Friday prayers.
They criticized the “continued closure of most mosques and the suspension of Friday prayers” while official institutions, markets, laboratories, administrations, universities and schools have been reopened.
Only 5,000 mosques out of over 50,000 across Morocco have been opened since July 15.
Initially, the 5,000 mosques were not open for Friday prayers in order to avoid COVID-19 transmission among worshippers.
The decision to re-open 5,000 mosques in July was part of Morocco’s gradual lockdown easing strategy and included a set of safety conditions.
According to these conditions, worshippers shall take with them plastic bags to put their shoes in when they are inside the mosque, wear masks outside and inside the mosque, bring their own prayer mat and respect social distancing guidelines.
The rate of coronavirus infections in Morocco has relatively decreased in the past 24 hours.
The Health Ministry announced on Monday 1,357 new COVID-19 infections, taking the tally since the virus first appeared in the country on March 2 to 153,761.
The number of recoveries increased to 129,498, while the death toll rose by 31 to 2,636, the Ministry added in a statement.
It said 464 patients are in intensive care units.
The COVID-19 fatality rate in Morocco stands at 1.7 percent and the current recovery rate is 84.2 percent, the ministry added.
