"Although we made a projection to open the places of worship on the 24th, this will not happen in Luanda and Cuanza Norte due to the current epidemiological situation", stressed Silvia Lutucuta, referring to the "significant increase in cases in the last weeks".
Angola currently registers 186 cases of infection with the new coronavirus and announced last week the first four cases outside Luanda, in the province of Cuanza Norte, where "a deep epidemiological assessment is being carried out to make the best decisions".
Health authorities have already received 160 samples from that province, four of which tested positive for covid-19.
The minister also warned of the “great failure to comply with individual and collective protection measures” that has been observed, with many crowds on the street, without respecting distances and without wearing masks.
Last month, when the state of public calamity was declared, the Government had planned to resume religious celebrations from June 24, preferably only four days a week.
Religious celebrations in closed spaces will preferably be held only for two hours on four days a week, with the remaining days reserved for the cleaning of places of worship.
The use of a mask and a distance of at least two meters between the faithful will be mandatory, and the cleaning of surfaces and hand washing must also be guaranteed at the entrance to places of worship.
At-risk groups will have a privileged location in places of worship and the use or distribution of leaflets or documents during the celebrations is prohibited.
The gift containers must be placed in easily accessible places and the faithful must travel to the respective place observing the proper physical distance.
Funeral ceremonies will have a maximum of 50 participants, except in the case of people who have died of covid-19, limited to 25 participants.
