DAKAR/ABUJA
Senegal and South Africa imposed curfews on Monday as part of measures to fight the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 16,000 people worldwide.
At the end of a nine-hour meeting, Senegalese President Macky Sall said a state of emergency had been declared to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, adding that freedom of action would be limited for the next three months.
Sall said demonstrations and gatherings were banned, public spaces would be closed and a curfew would go into effect from 8 p. m. m. until 6 a. m. , while inter-city transportation has been limited and could be banned altogether if necessary.
In addition, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the country on television and said a three-week curfew would come into effect due to coronavirus fears.
Ramaphosa said shops, pharmacies, banks and petrol stations would remain open as would the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
According to the latest official statements, Senegal currently has 79 confirmed cases of coronavirus, while South Africa has 402.
After emerging in Wuhan, China, last December, the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has reached at least 168 countries and regions, according to data compiled by the U. S. -based Johns Hopkins University.
The number of confirmed cases worldwide stands at 378,287 and the death toll now exceeds 16,000, while more than 100,000 people have recovered.
*Written through Ali Murat Alhas