Gabon puts capital under lockdown as Covid-19 cases swell
This picture taken on September 27, 2019 shows children on the road along the Akanda forest, a national park a few kilometres from the city centre of the capital, Libreville. PHOTO | STEVE JORDAN | AFP
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The French speaking Central African country recorded two new cases of the Covid-19 Friday bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 46.
The Gabonese capital, Libreville, will be put under lockdown for 15 days effective from April 12 and "will be renewed if need be" as part of a raft of measures to curb spread of the coronavirus, Covid-19 pandemic in the country, the government announced Friday.
The French speaking Central African country recorded two new cases of the Covid-19 same day bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 46; including one death and one recovery, Dr. Guy Patrick Obiang Ndong, Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, and spokesperson of the Steering Committee for the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic (COPIL-Coronavirus) said at a daily press briefing on the evolution of the pandemic in the country.
Declaring the lockdown Friday, Prime Minister Mr Julien Nkoghe Bekale said citizens will stay home and only the services whose missions are considered essential to the life of the nation, will be authorized to exercise, but in strict respect of the preventive measures linked to the pandemic.
During the period, he said, health teams will also be deployed to carry out mass screening which he said has proven its effectiveness in the countries where it has been implemented.
Announcing the measures last week, President Ali Bongo Ondimba said an “exceptional massive aid” package of FCFA 250 billion ($415 million) had been set up to help both individuals and businesses who have been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
He said the state will inject FCFA 225 million will be used to help companies while FCFA 6 billion ($10 million) will be dedicated to monthly payment of electricity and water bills for the “most fragile and economically weak” Gabonese.
On Thursday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $147 million payment to the oil-dependent country under its Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to address the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The Covid-19 pandemic and collapse in oil prices have weakened the macroeconomic outlook [of Gabon], with the possibility that the pandemic could turn more severe and persistent than anticipated with lasting impact on commodity prices, growth, and fiscal and external positions,” Mr. Mitsuhiro Furusawa, IMF Deputy Managing Director and Chair said in a statement.
“Economic activity would recede, and the fiscal and external positions will weaken, creating additional financing needs,” the statement of the institution’s website further quotes Mr. Mitsuhiro Furusawa.
