Coronavirus: Saudi launches sterilising gates at Mecca’s grand mosque

Published by

5 years ago

An officer and a worker pass through a sterilising gate at the entrance of the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

THE General Presidency of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has launched sterilising gates at the entrance of Mecca’s Grand Mosque as part of measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Thursday.

Before anyone enters the mosque’s courtyards, they must pass through the gates which sterilise them from head to toe using a sanitising spray.

The gates were set up just one week after thermal cameras were installed at Islam’s holiest site, the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

The cameras, which can accurately scan the temperatures of up to 25 people at the same time, were also placed at the entrances of the courtyards.

Similar cameras were put up in the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina earlier this month.

Authorities closed the holy sites to the public as part of measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs in April denied rumors that mosques across the Kingdom would reopen soon for congressional prayers after the coronavirus pandemic forced their closure last month.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING

PHOTO NEWS: Suspected Coronavirus Patients Protest Treatment At Isolation Centre, Vow Never To Go Back
The patients, who trooped out from the Kwadon isolation centre, a few kilometres from Gombe town, alleged that they are starving at the centre, adding that they are not being well taken care of by the government. They marched on the highway disrupting free flow of traffic, showing their anger over what they described as… Read full story

COVID-19: Sick Emir Of Daura In Intensive Care
The Emir of Daura in Katsina State, Alh Umar Farouk, is currently at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina due to his poor health condition. A source had told Tribune Online that contrary to a report emanating from one of the online media that the monarch was admitted since on Monday… Read full story

FG Bars CBN, PTF From Unbudgeted Spending COVID-19 Donations
The Federal Government on Tuesday issued guidelines on the management of all COVID-19 special funds and donations. In a statement issued by Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, all funds related to COVID-19 must pass through the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and must not be spent unless the National… Read full story

One Doctor Died, 32 Tested Positive After Contact With COVID-19 Patients, Says Kano NMA Chairman
Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kano State chapter, Dr. Sunusi Muhammad Bala, on Tuesday disclosed that its association had lost one doctor to the coronavirus pandemic while 32 others have tested positive in the state. He also said that its members had resolved that they would not risk their… Read full story

Yar’Adua Reversed Policies That Hurt Nigerians When He Was President, Says Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has described former President Umaru Yar’Adua as a patriot despite their political differences. A statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), in Abuja on Tuesday said as Nigerians observed the 10th anniversary of the death of the former… Read full story

Senate Wants Police Force Decentralised
The Senate has called for the decentralisation of the Nigeria Police Force and the need for community policing as a way of addressing the country’s problem of insecurity. This formed part of the recommendations of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Nigeria Security Challenges which was considered and approved during… Read full story

All Set For Return Of 265 Nigerians From UAE On Wednesday ― Minister
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyema on Tuesday disclosed that the first batch of returning Nigerians in Diaspora would arrive in Nigeria on Wednesday, May 6, 2020… Read full story

Lagos Discharges Another 60 Patients After Testing Negative For Coronavirus
The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, announced the discharge of 60 patients from isolation centres after they tested negative for coronavirus twice. According to the governor, 40 males and 20 females were discharged from Yaba, Ibeju Lekki and Eti Osa isolation centres to reunite with… Read full story

Oyo Border Areas Porous, Extend COVID-19 Testing To Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso ― State Assembly Tells Makinde
The Oyo State House of Assembly has asked the Governor Seyi Makinde led government to pay attention to the porous nature of the state’s borders and extend testing to those border areas. The Assembly said this call became expedient due to the continued entry of foreign nationals into the state via borders in… Read full story

179 Arrested In Lagos For Flouting Face Mask, Distancing Order, 200 Vehicles Impounded
One hundred and seventy nine suspected violators of the face mask and social distancing order have been arrested by the police in Lagos State. Over 200 vehicles were also between Monday and Tuesday impounded by the police and the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA)… Read full story

CIBN To FG: Diversify Economy From Over-Reliance On Crude Oil
The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to diversify the economy and review its policy to stir the country away from import dependence and increase non-oil revenue. A past president of the institute and keynote speaker, Mr Laoye Jaiyeola, made the call at an… Read full story

COVID-19: Nasarawa Govt Begins Tracing Of 74 People Who Had Contact With Late Lawmaker
Nasarawa State Government says its response team is tracing 74 contacts of the House of Assembly member who died due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Abdullahi Sule made the disclosure while speaking at the beginning of an extended security meeting on Tuesday in Lafia… Read full story