MALI: President Keita orders lockdown after first Covid-19 cases

The President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has declared a nationwide curfew over Covid-19.

He made the announcement on Wednesday March 25, after the country recorded its first two coronavirus cases.

The two persons, who were discovered to have the virus on Wednesday, are Malian nationals, a 49 year-old woman from Bamako and a 62 year-old man living in Kayes.

They were said to have arrived in the country from France on March 12 and 16, respectively.

The patient are currently being taking care of by the country’s health authorities.

Keita, who quickly gave a television address, said the government would enforce a curfew between 21:00 to 05:00, from Thursday and close land borders to prevent the spread of the virus.

He, however, said that freight would still be allowed into the country and markets remained open.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: China set to lift lockdown order on Wuhan as epicentre cases continue to subside

According to the President, amid the lockdown, a long-delayed parliamentary election whose first round is planned for Sunday would also go ahead, but in “scrupulous respect” of health measures.

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