TIRANA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Tuesday warned of tougher measures against those defying sanitary rules, as the country's total confirmed coronavirus cases topped 1,600 after a record daily jump in new infections.
Via a video message on Facebook, Rama warned that the country risks closing for a second time if the number of cases keeps increasing.
He emphasized that he will no longer allow mass gatherings.
In his address to the public, Rama warned businesses to adhere to health safety protocol to prevent the spread of infection, otherwise they will face sanctions and even imprisonment.
"In addition to the fine, they also risk deprivation of liberty if they are caught in violation," Rama noted.
Rama underlined that citizens will continue to move freely, but they risk being penalized if caught in violation of the rules, such as social distancing in public areas.
On Tuesday, health authorities reported a record daily rise of 82 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 1,672, with 1,064 recoveries and 37 fatalities. Enditem
