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Saudi Arabia resumes prayers at Mecca's Grand Mosque after COVID-19 hiatus

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 18 Oct 2020, 09:52 pm Print

Saudi Arabia resumes prayers at Mecca's Grand Mosque after COVID-19 hiatus Grand Mosque

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Cairo/Sputnik: Saudi Arabia reopened Mecca's Grand Mosque, the holiest site for Muslims, for prayers on Sunday, following a seven-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the state SPA news agency reported.

The country has also switched to a second phase of the gradual resumption of the Umrah pilgrimage to the holy city for its citizens and residents inside the kingdom, expanding the capacity from 30 percent to 75 percent.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is making every effort to implement all necessary sanitary measures, according to the agency. Some 4,000 employees are involved in cleaning the territory of the mosque and conduct disinfection 10 times a day.