The Egyptian government has green-lighted a full reopening of mosques as part of the latest easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

In a statement released on Friday, seen by state-owned Al Ahram news outlet, Minister of Endowments Mokhtar Gomaa announced that Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly approved the full re-opening of mosques and shrines.

Under the new guidance, mosques will resume normal operations starting Sunday 8, allowing the return of religious and Quran recitation lessons.

Islamic shrines will also be opened during non-praying times.

Egypt closed its mosques and shrines in March 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19 infections.

The government gradually began reopening the religious facilities as the virus load went down, allowing devotees to pray five times per day in large mosques while adhering to social distancing measures.

Egypt has so far recorded 515,645 COVID-19 infections with 24,613.