Uganda closes places of worship amid surge in COVID-19 cases

Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), June 7: Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday announced the closure of places of worship following the upsurge of COVID-19 cases as the east African country faces the second wave of the pandemic.
Museveni in a televised address said all churches and mosques in the country will be closed for 42 days.
"Communal prayers will be suspended for 42 days," said Museveni.
He said public gatherings have been banned for 42 days, except the Cabinet, Parliamentary meetings.
"Marriage ceremonies, parties and all other social gatherings are only allowed with a maximum of 20 people under strict observance of standard operating procedures," said Museveni.
"House parties are strictly banned and this must be enforced without fail," he said.
Uganda last year eased the lockdown restrictions allowing places of worship to reopen amid a decline in cases.
Ministry of health recently announced that the country was facing the second wave of the pandemic.
As of Sunday, Uganda had registered 52,935 COVID-19 cases, with 47,760 recoveries and 383 deaths since the first case was reported in March, 2020.
Source: Xinhua