The Ministry of Religious Affairs on Monday directed all to avoid mosques and offer prayers at home to prevent the transmission of fast-spreading coronavirus or COVID-19.

The ministry issued an urgent notice in this regard.

It asked people to offer Zohr prayers at home instead of Jum’a on Friday considering the current situation of coronavirus.

It also asked the people of other regions to offer prayers at home instead of the congregation at religious institutions.

Maximum five people, including Khatib, Imam, Khadem and Muazzin will hold jamaat at mosques and maximum 10 people can attend the Jumma prayers on Friday at mosques but no outsider will be allowed to enter mosques.

No religious gatherings like Waj mahfil, milad, Tafsir mahfil and Tableeg gathering will be allowed, said the notice.

Meanwhile, the death toll from coronavirus rose to 12 in Bangladesh as the country confirmed three more deaths on Monday. So far, 123 people have been infected in Bangladesh, 35 in the last 24 hours alone.