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, local media reported.
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 UAE 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 critical condition.