The president of the Democratic
Republic of Congo closed the country’s borders and imposed a state of emergency
on Tuesday to contain the coronavirus outbreak, following other African nations
that have imposed strict measures in recent days.
The virus is spreading quickly
across Africa, infecting more than 1,700 people across 45 countries,
challenging already fragile healthcare systems. Senegal and Ivory Coast on
Monday declared their own states of emergency, imposing curfews and travel
restrictions on their populations.
Over 40 people have contracted
the virus in the DRC and three have been killed, raising concerns of a
widespread outbreak, especially in the crowded capital Kinshasa where social
distancing is an alien phenomenon.
“Coronavirus does not need a
passport, visa or voter’s card to circulate in our house,” President Felix
Tshisekedi said in a speech to the nation on Tuesday. “We find ourselves
at war with an invisible adversary.”
The president banned internal
passenger flights and river transport to and from Kinshasa, where all 45 of the
known cases have been found. Last week, he suspended commercial flights from
other countries with the virus, banned large gatherings and closed clubs,
restaurants and bars.
25, March 2020
Congo-Kinshasa president imposes state of emergency to contain coronavirus outbreak 0
The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo closed the country’s borders and imposed a state of emergency on Tuesday to contain the coronavirus outbreak, following other African nations that have imposed strict measures in recent days.
The virus is spreading quickly across Africa, infecting more than 1,700 people across 45 countries, challenging already fragile healthcare systems. Senegal and Ivory Coast on Monday declared their own states of emergency, imposing curfews and travel restrictions on their populations.
Over 40 people have contracted the virus in the DRC and three have been killed, raising concerns of a widespread outbreak, especially in the crowded capital Kinshasa where social distancing is an alien phenomenon.
“Coronavirus does not need a passport, visa or voter’s card to circulate in our house,” President Felix Tshisekedi said in a speech to the nation on Tuesday. “We find ourselves at war with an invisible adversary.”
The president banned internal passenger flights and river transport to and from Kinshasa, where all 45 of the known cases have been found. Last week, he suspended commercial flights from other countries with the virus, banned large gatherings and closed clubs, restaurants and bars.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)