Fresh out of his wedding, the head of the Islamic Community in Macedonia Reis Sulejman efendi Rexhepi, triumphantly declared the coronavirus to be dead.

We say it is dead. We beat it. That’s why we are here, an animated Rexhepi told the press today as the Ramadan Bajram festivities began.

Macedonia goes into a lockdown over the end of Ramadan, that will last until Tuesday morning, to prevent Muslim families from holding the large traditional feasts that can spread the virus. Photos were shared this morning of mosque services conducted without masks or keeping distance between the faithful.

Interior Minister Nake Culev called on the citizens to respect the order insisting that it is for their own good, as he visited police patrols in Gostivar and Tetovo, where he was welcomed with the traditional Ramadan baklava.

And yet, for weeks photographs of widely attended evening iftar dinners were shared on social media, revealing that the evening curfews were often ignored. The Healthcare Ministry acknowledged that family gatherings contributed to the spread of the virus.