Coronavirus: New measures in the extended state of emergency in Mozambique- Watch

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Coronavirus: New measures in the extended state of emergency in Mozambique- Watch

3:55 CAT | 29 Jun 2020

Photo: Presidency of the Republic of Mozambique

Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi has extended the state of emergency in the country for the third time to prevent Covid-19, but with a gradual easing of some restrictions.

“Between relaxing, maintaining or worsening, I decided to extend the state of emergency for a third time for another 30 days,” the president said on Sunday in a statement to the nation.

“We, therefore, decided to maintain level 3 [of restrictions] and to phase out some measures that impact the country’s economy, allowing some sectors of activity to function,” he added.

In the first part of the speech, Nyusi left a sign of concern about the economic situation.

“Today more than ever we need to cautiously reformulate our preventive measures: we need to avoid the spread of Covid-19, but we also need to avoid the collapse of our economy. We must prepare ourselves to proactively face the period following the present pandemic,” he said.

The state of emergency, in effect since 1 April and whose current period ends on Monday, has been extended for another 30 days, until 30 July.

Among the revised measures, Nyusi announced the phased resumption of in-person classes at all levels of education according to calendars to be announced within days, with the Mozambican school year running from February to December.

Mozambique will authorise international flights with selected countries (not mentioned) and on a reciprocal basis.

The resumption of air links with foreign countries, interrupted in May, intends to respond to the need for specialists, managers, and investors to boost tourism and business, Nyusi said.

It will increase from one third to no more than half the number of face-to-face service teams every 15 days in public and private institutions.

Museums and galleries will be able to reopen, with limited capacity, to comply with the rules of social distancing of two meters but shows and parties will continue to be prohibited.

All measures will have to consider the rules of Covid-19 prevention and, in specific cases, protocols to be defined by health authorities.

Other places, such as religious places of worship and bars, will remain closed.

Nyusi said the measures already implemented have delayed the peak of the pandemic, whose progression showed signs of acceleration in June, but keeping the pressure on health systems low while waiting for treatments or vaccines.

He said that there has been progressive neglect when it comes to prevention, renewing the call for key actions: reducing mobility, wearing a mask, always complying with social distance, and more hand washing.

Nyusi condemned cases of stigmatisation and increased domestic violence, especially against women and children, in the context of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic.

He said that there is still a narrow window of hope to prevent the pattern of community transmission already recorded in Nampula and Cabo Delgado from spreading to other parts of the country if prevention standards are met.

Mozambique on Sunday announced another 20 cases of infection by the new coronavirus, bringing the total to 859, with five deaths and 228 recovered.