COVID-19 hits Maputo markets; Xipamanine closes (for 3 days) tomorrow- reports

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

COVID-19 hits Maputo markets; Xipamanine closes (for 3 days) tomorrow- reports

11:56 CAT | 14 Jun 2020

Photo. Livenews48

One of Maputo’s oldest markets, the Xipamanine, will be closed in a period of three (3) days as from Monday, June 15, to restructure the layout of the stalls as a way to guarantee the social distance of one and a half metre recommended by the health authorities. During this period the salespeople will stay at home. After the re-organisation, vendors will be called in groups to get to know the new rules of activities, which ill include tbe rotation of the group of vendors.

In total there are 73 markets in Maputo that will be covered by this action which aims to avoid the contagion and spread of COVID-19 in the markets, since there is already a record of confirmed cases starting from the markets.

Source: Livenews48

In order to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the Mozambican capital, the municipality of Maputo will gradually and temporarily close 63 markets and five fairs starting next Monday. The Xipamanine Market is the first, followed by the Zimpeto wholesale market.

There are already positive COVID-19 cases in the markets of Maputo City. The information was released this Friday at a press conference by the councillor in charge of health and social action in the municipality.

Alice de Abreu says that, in view of the situation, the municipality has already designed an intervention plan that will culminate in a temporary and gradual closure and subsequent reorganisation of existing markets in the seven municipal districts, starting on Monday with the Xipamanine market where 11,000 vendors are registered, between 5,000 formal and 6,000 informal.

The Municipality says it will reorganise all existing formal markets in the municipality, transform informal markets, strengthen prevention measures in the markets and ensure the monitoring of COVID-19 in the markets.

These are the four pillars that will guide the actions of the City Council The markets will create a contingency commission to monitor the implementation of approved prevention measures.

Alice de Abreu did not specify the markets which have a record of positive COVID-19 case, merely stating: “The measures are important since there are already confirmed COVID-19 cases in the markets of Maputo City”.

The Ka Lhamankulo Municipal District, where the Xipamanine market is located, claims that it has identified a space in the old health service facilities where part of the vendors will be relocated to..

So far, the City of Maputo has accumulated more than 70 positive cases of COVID-19.

The Municipality of Maputo expects salespeople to collaborate to make the measure effective.

“We call on the collaboration of everyone from vendors to customers, so that we can preserve our greatest asset, which is life. Rather than getting agitated, it is important to protect our health ”.

In a first phase, 12 markets will be closed, with emphasis on Xipamanine, Malanga Wholesale, Mandela, PMercado do Povo, Malanga among others. The measure will cover about 22,000 vendors.

By Amândio Borges

Source: O País