A group of more than 65 people in western Rwanda were arrested on Saturday for violating the COVID-19 lock-down as they gathered for a religious prayer, the local mayor said.

Vestine Mukarutesi, mayor of Karongi District in Western Province, said that the group, who belong to a breakaway religious faction and are not members of a church, were arrested at a member’s home while gathering for prayers.

She said the Rwandan government had ordered the closure of churches as part of social distancing measures to curb the spread of the novel corona-virus.

These people, who had refused to disperse peacefully, were arrested and taken to a local rehabilitation center for admonition before being released, she told Xinhua.

On Friday, the Rwandan Health Ministry reported 13 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total tally to 102.

In March, the Rwandan government imposed a lock-down with restrictions on movements and the closure of borders, public places of worship and education facilities after the first confirmed case was reported.

The lock-down was extended by two more weeks to April 19 on Wednesday last week.