New Mauritania Curfew as Virus Surge Burdens Hospitals

Nouakchott, Dec 13 (AFP/APP): Mauritania on Sunday reimposed a nighttime curfew in response to a surge in Covid-19 infections as its hospitals are stretched to the limit, the president’s office said.

The dusk to dawn curfew will have immediate effect in the face of a “worrying surge” in Covid-19 cases and deaths, the statement said. Also Sunday, the Islamic affairs ministry said Friday prayers at the country’s mosques would be suspended until further notice. Public health chief Sidi Ould Zehave said Saturday that hospitals “are reaching saturation”.

Foreign Minister Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed appealed for international aid in the crisis, the state news agency AMI reported Sunday. Like other African states, Mauritania has recently seen a significant jump in infections, recording 279 new cases and seven deaths on Saturday. The poor Sahel country of four million has officially declared more than 10,000 cases and 222 deaths since March.

The former French colony closed schools and universities and banned public ceremonies early this month. Initially set to last two weeks, the school closures have now been extended to January 4, the education ministry announced. Mauritania imposed strict measures after the first Covid-19 case emerged in March, including a curfew, border, school and market closures and bans on gatherings, public prayers and travel between regions.

The measures have since been lifted at various times, with the curfew lifted in July.

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