Mosque prayers resume in Liberia after virus hiatus

• As with other poor countries in the region, there are fears that Liberia is ill prepared to handle any large outbreak.
• Christians will also be able to attend church services on Sunday in the poor nation of some 4.8 million people.
• "We have to respect the order given by government," he added.

MONROVIA: Muslim worshippers returned to mosques in Liberia on Friday, after weeks of not being able to perform public prayers due to anti-virus measures in the West African state.

The government announced on May 8 that it was easing restrictions on church and mosque attendance, provided, however, that they did not exceed 25 percent capacity.

Liberian authorities have recorded 219 coronavirus cases to date, with 20 fatalities.

As with other poor countries in the region, there are fears that Liberia is ill prepared to handle any large outbreak.

At the S.K.D Boulevard Mosque in Paynesville, an eastern suburb of the seaside capital Monrovia, an imam called on the faithful to keep a distance from each other and to wear facemasks.

"Whenever there is a problem it is good to fight it two ways: spiritually and physically," said Cheick Oumaru Kamara, the imam.

Only 75 worshippers were allowed in for prayers on Friday, Kamara said, while the mosque can hold 350.

"We have to respect the order given by government," he added.

Christians will also be able to attend church services on Sunday in the poor nation of some 4.8 million people.

Liberia was badly hit during West Africa's 2014-16 Ebola crisis, which killed more than 4,800 people in the country.