Maghreb Edition

Sahel: Chad locks down its capital to confront Covid-19F

Posted On 7 May 2020

Number of times this article was read : 1466
N’Djamena, May 6, 2020 – Chad’s capital N’Djamena will be isolated from the rest of the country for two weeks from Friday to stem the spread of  coronavirus, the government announced.  The central African nation, one of the world’s poorest, has recorded 117 coronavirus and 10 deaths, according to an official count on Tuesday.  The vast majority of these cases — 115 — were diagnosed in the capital, the health ministry said.
“The entry and exit of people in the city of N’Djamena is banned for a  period of two weeks” from May 8, the government said in a decree on Wednesday.   Only “vehicles transporting goods and food” are authorised to enter the city, the decree added. Inside the city, travel will be allowed until 8:00pm and wearing a mask  will be mandatory from Thursday. Chad, where half of the 16 million population live in poverty, also faces a measles outbreak, with 25,500 suspected cases and 255 deaths recorded between January and November last year.
AFP

Subscribe to Urgent Notifications and Newsletter

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Morocco Becomes Africa’s Top-Ranked Industrial Economy$

Morocco has become Africa’s leading industrial economy, followed by South Africa and Egypt. The African Development Bank (AfDB) ranked Tunisia fourth, reinforcing North Africa’s position as one of the continent’s principal industrial regions. The AfDB’s 2025 Africa Industrialization Index placed Morocco ahead of South Africa as Africa’s highest-ranked industrial economy.

Algerian Gas Exports to Europe Rise for Fourth Consecutive Month$

Algeria continued to expand natural gas exports to Europe during the first four months of 2026, benefiting from steady pipeline deliveries to key markets including Spain and Italy. While Europe’s gas market continues shifting toward LNG imports, Algeria has maintained its position as one of the continent’s leading pipeline suppliers through a combination of established infrastructure, long-term contracts, and growing LNG activity.

Written by The North Africa Journal

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.