Amid mounting cases, Kashmir divided on prayers in mosques

Srinagar: As Kashmir sees no let up in coronavirus cases and related deaths, the opinion was divided on Sunday between doctors and religious leaders on continuing mass prayers in mosques during the ongoing holy month of Ramzan.

Kashmir’s grand mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, who called upon the mosque committees to procure oxygen concentrators to meet any eventuality, pitched for the continuation of congregational prayers in mosques.

“Masjid committees must procure fumigation machines and sanitise every masjid. Worshippers should abide by the COVID-19 protocols and offer prayers,” Mr. Nasir-ul-Islam said.

Another Valley-based religious body, Karwan-e-Islami head Sheikh Ghulam Rasool Hami also stressed on continuing prayers only after “proper adherence to protocols.”

“People should go to masjids but maintain a gap of at least two or more feet,” he added.

Well-known Islamic scholar and jurist Mufti Nazir Ahmad Qasmi described the situation as “less worrisome compared to 2020.” “People need not panic,” he added.

However, leading doctors in top government-run hospitals, including the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital, the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) hospital and the Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial (JLNM) hospital, have raised an alarm bell and warned against congregations till the new wave subsides in the Union Territory.

“We need to ensure that all such spaces that can lead to fast multiplication of infected cases are immediately thinned out to slow down the spread of the infection. It will help in lessening the burden on the hospital infrastructure in coming days,” a senior doctor at the SMHS hospital said.

Another doctor, posted at the JLNM hospital, warned that this week was crucial for the hospitals as admission of infected patients is fast crossing the discharged patients with every passing day.

“We have to create a buffer. Mosques and other spaces like offices and markets, where people meet, need to be controlled for at least 10 days,” he added.

A doctor at the SKIMS also warned that oxygen-supported beds were depleting in the hospital and said, “Any type of religious gatherings should be avoided for time being”.

21 deaths

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 21 more deaths, 11 in the Jammu region and 10 in the Kashmir region, in the past 24 hours, as 2,381 more tested positive on Sunday. The number of active cases now stand at 19,558 and 2,147 people have died due to the pandemic so far.

The Union Territory observed a ‘corona curfew’ as per the government order which affected normal life as most people stayed indoors. (The Hindu)