Experts urge people to avoid visiting mosques during Ramzan as COVID-19 cases rise to 13,304 in Pak

Pakistan's coronavirus cases jumped to 13,304 on Sunday, as a top medical body warned that mosques are becoming a major source of transmission for the novel coronavirus in the country and urged people to pray at home during Ramzan.

According to the Ministry of National Health Services, at least 18 people have died in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll in the country to 272.

A total of 1,508 new cases were reported in one day, taking the total number of infections to 13,304, reports said. The number of those recovered also increased to 2,936, it said.

Pakistan's worst-hit Punjab province reported 5,446 cases, Sindh 4,615, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 1,864, Balochistan 781, Gilgit-Baltistan 308, Islamabad 235 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 55 cases. So far, 144,365 tests have been done in the country, including 6,218 in the last 24 hours.

"Mosques are becoming a major source of virus transmission," Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) President Dr Iftikhar Burney has said.

Talking to reporters on Saturday, Burney said that the infected cases have surged rapidly during the past week.

"Around 6,000 cases for coronavirus surfaced in a month.but the same has doubled in the last six days," he said, warning that the infection would further go up in the coming months of May and June.

The Pakistan government early this month succumbed to pressure from the hardline clerics and allowed conditional congregational prayers in mosques during Ramzan.

However, the 20-point agreement signed by the leading clerics with President Arif Alvi on restricting access to mosques during Ramzan was not being followed completely.

Alvi has written a letter to the Imams of mosques urging them to ask worshippers above the age of 50 to pray at home. He pointed out that the point number six of the standard operating procedures set in the agreement said that persons over the age of 50 should avoid offering prayers at the mosque.

Alvi also visited mosques in Rawalpindi to review arrangements made by the administration of mosques to contain the spread of the virus, he wrote in a tweet.

He shared a picture of Jama Masjid Ghousia and said the administration had arranged for Taraweeh (special prayers offered at night during Ramzan), keeping in mind necessary preventative measures to curb the spread. However, the face masks were lacking.

President Alvi said that the people, including politicians and opinion makers, should keep an open mind regarding the handling of the coronavirus outbreak as the strategy can change with the new data.

"Lockdown or no lockdown? Coronavirus is new so there is a major difference of opinion in the world and in Pakistan on how to handle it. As data comes in, opinions change. So please keep an open mind, he tweeted.

Prime Minister's Advisor on Health Dr Zafar Mirza also took to Twitter and again urged the "citizens to demonstrate responsibility & avoid congregations during Ramzan to protect themselves from COVID-19."