Hawzah News Agency - (Burton - UK) - All mosques in Burton have today decided to temporarily close after an outbreak of coronavirus in an area of the town.
The move has been made as a 'safety precaution' and mosques were not the cause of the rise in cases in the Shobnall and Anglesey area of Burton, said a spokesman.
It total, 35 people have now tested positive for Covid-19, including 14 people from two households.
Those with the virus are self-isolating as they recover at home.
The majority of the cases, but not all, are within the south Asian community.
Tariq Hussain, spokesman for the Central Jamia Mosque Rizvia, in the Anglesey ward, said: "We decided to close all mosques in Burton as a safety precaution.
"We need to be careful as a community and are working with East Staffordshire Borough Council to ensure the safety of the public.
"It was a difficult decision, however it has to be done.
"I would like to say there have been no known cases or positive reports from any of the mosques in Burton and we haven't closed due to any cases.
"I would request the local authorities to implement and enforce stricter hygiene guidelines across all business, especially in the Shobnall/Anglesey wards.
"I urge smaller shops to follow the approach of bigger supermarkets and ensure a minimum of people are allowed in the shops.
"The reported spike in Shobnall/Anglesey is consistent with government prediction and we want consistency in dealing with Covid-19 cases across East Staffordshire.
"The mosques are not the source of the virus, and we have all followed the guidelines to the best of our ability.
We will continue to work with the relevant bodies to ensure the virus is contained and eliminated.
"Prevention is better than cure and mosques are not the cause of the spike."
The outbreak has led to concerns across the town, as Staffordshire County Council works with community leaders and other authorities to help stop the spread by getting the message out to stick to the government guidelines.
The authority has made it clear that Burton remains open for business, saying there are no plans for any kind of imposing lockdown restrictions like in Blackburn, or a full lockdown like Leicester was subject to again.