People shop in downtown Tunis, Tunisia, on May 7, 2021. Tunisia decided on Friday to impose a general lockdown for a period of seven days starting from May 9 to May 16 to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the country. A curfew will also be imposed throughout the country from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. local time, announced by Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi at a press conference held at the government's headquarters. (Photo by Adel Ezzine/Xinhua)
TUNIS, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia decided on Friday to impose a general lockdown for a period of seven days starting from May 9 to May 16 to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the country.
A curfew will also be imposed throughout the country from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. local time, announced by Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi at a press conference held at the government's headquarters.
During the same period, it was decided to ban travel between governorates, gatherings and all festivities, the operation of mosques, weekly markets and shopping centers.
Citizens and residents are called on to stay at home and to go out only for a necessity such as medical supplies, treatment and vaccinations, while the state will ensure vital services such as safety, health and food.
Mechichi said the health situation is "critical and dangerous," stressing the need to respect sanitary measures.
"The health crisis is not limited to numbers ... Families have been destroyed," he said.
"Today there is a risk that the health system in our country will collapse," the government head added.
Tunisian Health Ministry on Thursday reported 1,410 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections in the country to 317,010.
The death toll from the virus rose by 86 to 11,208 in Tunisia, and the total number of recoveries reached 272,505, the ministry said in a statement. Enditem
