An unrelenting wave of coronavirus cases in The Gambia has prompted the introduction of a night-time curfew, the first since emergency restrictions came into effect, APA can report on Friday.The restriction of people’s movements between 10pm and 5am took effect on Thursday evening with streets of urban areas looking deserted two hours before it came into effect.
it will last for 21 days, beginning on August 6.
Traffic had been light and pedestrian movement sparse as many heed the call by the police to remain indoors during curfew hours.
All land, sea and air traffic also remain closed.
The country currently has 799 cases, 16 deaths and 115 recoveries.
The Gambia Police Force says it was launching Operation Save our Souls (SoS) pursuant to enforcing the Public Health (Dangerous and Infectious Disease) Protection Regulation 2020 as part of a national campaign to curb Covid-19’s rapid spread.
The police have been empowered to*ensure all non food outlets in markets throughout The Gambia remain closed except banks and financial institutions, drug stores, pharmacies, supermarkets and mini markets, local shop owners and essential food traders”.
Under the new restrictions, markets shall open between 06:00 am and 02:00 pm daily but will be shut throughout Sundays.
Gathering inside mosques and churches are prohibited under the new restrictions which also make it mandatory to wear face mask in public places allowed to function.
Gambia’s rising infection rate (has also seen its vice-president and three other cabinet ministers test positive for the virus while President Adama Barrow went into self-isolation before he was found not to have contracted the ailment.
The Health minister was also seen checking into a testing facility with possible symptoms of the respiratory illness after his case proved inconclusive.