President Macky Sall has extended Senegal’s current state of emergency in force since March 23 to another thirty days to tackle the novel coronavirus.
By Ibrahima Dione
The decree, extending the state of emergency throughout the country, was signed by President Sall on Sunday.
In an address to the nation broadcast on national television (RTS), the Senegalese leader had stressed that “the speed of progression of the disease requires us to raise the level of response”.
He warned that “otherwise, we run a serious risk of public calamity.”
The state of emergency is accompanied by a curfew from 8 pm to 6 am.
Wary of the rate of contagion of the virus, the authorities in Senegal have banned cross-regional transport.
The law on the state of emergency confers a number of powers on the competent administrative authorities.
These include the regulation or prohibition of the movement of persons, vehicles or goods in certain places and at certain times, the prohibition, in general or in particular, of all processions, parades, rallies and demonstrations on the public, the prohibition, in general or in particular, of public or private meetings of any kind that may cause or maintain disorder, and the temporary closure of public places and meeting venues.
In its strategy to combat Covid-19, the government has ordered the closure of all places of worship and prohibited public gatherings.
To date, 1271 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Senegal, including 415 recoveries and 10 deaths.
The suspension of international flights has borne fruit, since there are no longer any imported cases.
However, the number of contact cases and especially that from within communities is increasing at a worrying rate.
ID/cgd/lb/as/APA