Maghreb Edition

Sahel: Mali ends curfew, orders mandatory wearing of facemasksF

Posted On 9 May 2020

Number of times this article was read : 1120

Bamako, May 9, 2020- Mali’s government said on Saturday it had lifted its nationwide curfew designed to stem coronavirus, while making mask wearing compulsory in public places in the West African state. In a televised speech, Malian Prime Minister Boubou Cisse warned that the virus was now present “in practically all our  administrative regions” and that more testing was needed. He added that the “evil is raging among us” and that the capital Bamako had become the centre of the epidemic.

Malian authorities have recorded 668 cases of coronavirus to date, with 35 fatalities. The number of official infections is low compared to virus-stricken Europe and the United States. Still, there are fears that Mali is particularly at risk from a large outbreak because of endemic poverty and a conflict which has been raging for eight years in the country.

On Saturday, Cisse said that the government was lifting a night-time curfew declared at the end of March in order to curb the virus. Schools will stay shut until June 2, he added, and the wearing of masks will be compulsory in public places. The country’s borders will remain shut, however, the prime minister said

AFP

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The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.