The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has “dispelled the fallacy that COVID-19 wouldn’t reach the people of the country” while addressing the spread of the virus in the country and the fact that mosques are still functioning.
As reported by local media, Pakistan's top medical authorities said, “We think we are loved by God and therefore epidemics will not reach us, however, such fallacies should be dispelled and the severity of the disease should not be underestimated, especially under these critical circumstances.”
With the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the mosques in the country remain functional as Pakistan's government has allegedly succumbed to pressure from religious leaders in the country.
However, Prime Minister Khan has clarified that action will be taken if the mosques' Special Operating Procedures (SOPs) between the clerics and government, and a 20-point agreement on safety and precaution, are not implemented during Ramadan.
The PIMA also highlighted that mosques are becoming a major source of COVID-19 transmission among citizens and therefore urged people to offer prayers from home.
This is the not the first time that a medical body in the country has raised concerns over people visiting mosques and worries that the situation is going to get worse in the country.
PIMA earlier stated that a situation may soon arise where they’ll have to choose between patients, and might have to treat them on the road if restrictions are not made more stringent during Ramadan.
According to the nation's health ministry, Pakistan has over 13,000 coronavirus cases so far and has witnessed more than 250 deaths. The PIMA has warned that cases may rise exponentially in the coming months.