Bosnia mosques disinfected ahead of Ramadan

Mosques throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina are being cleaned and disinfected ahead of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which begins on Thursday and runs until May 23.

Footage from Sarajevo showed workers in protective clothing spraying disinfectant inside and outside the Cobanija mosque, as part of precautionary measures to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

Members of Bosnia's Muslim community are, however, not expected to attend any services in the mosques, as they have been instructed by the government to stay at home and pray.

Only religious leaders and a few members of the congregation are allowed to perform prayers until government-imposed social distancing measures limiting gatherings to a maximum of five people are relaxed or lifted.

More than 1,300 cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, have been reported in Bosnia and 51 people have died, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

The new coronavirus causes mild to moderate flu-like symptoms in most patients, who recover within a few weeks.

But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems.