All of Algeria’s borders will remain closed until the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, President Abdelmadjid Tebbboune announced on Sunday evening June 28, faced with an increase in contamination.
The head of state, who chaired a meeting of the council of ministers, ordered the “Keep the land, sea and air borders closed until God sets us free from this scourge”, according to a press release published by the official press agency APS.
Algeria is however part of a proposed list of fourteen countries whose travelers would be admitted to the European Union (EU) on 1is July. The EU has, however, postponed its final decision on this list, due to the lack of agreement between Europeans. The borders of Algeria have been closed since March 19.
Three weeks after the first deconfinement measures, Algeria is in the grip of an outbreak of foci of infection, in particular in the east (Sétif) and in the south-east of the country, due according to the authorities to non-compliance with prevention rules.
“Tougher sanctions”
Some 305 new cases of Covid-19 have been diagnosed in 24 hours, a new daily record for this most affected country in the Maghreb, according to the official report published on Sunday.
Mr. Tebboune denounced “The behavior of certain citizens who want to make others believe that the Covid-19 is only a myth with political aims”, an accusation targeting the popular anti-regime movement, the Hirak, when the latter is trying to re-mobilize in the provinces. All demonstrations have been strictly prohibited since mid-March.
Algerian president ordered “Tougher sanctions against all offenders”. The wearing of a sanitary mask has been compulsory since May 24 and offenders are sentenced to heavy fines.
Tebboune also urged Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerrad to take steps to “Break the chain of contamination and circumscribe the epidemic foci”, according to the press release from the Council of Ministers.
“It is the result of a relaxation and a kind of carelessness, in particular in certain wilayas [préfectures] like Setif and Biskra “, the president of the council declared the order of doctors Mohamed Bekkat to AFP on Thursday. Algeria has recorded 13,273 cases of contamination and nearly 900 deaths since the registration of the first case on February 25.
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