Covid-19: Government makes wearing facemasks in public compulsory

Close to a month after the government of Cameroon put in place thirteen measures to fight against coronavirus, the number of infected cases and deaths have been on a steady rise.

This observers say, points to the failure of the measures. To curb the rapid spread of the pandemic, the Prime Minister has made public seven additional measures.

In a press statement Thursday April 9th 2020 in Yaounde, Joseph Dion Ngute said the general wearing of face masks will be compulsory in all public places in Cameroon from Monday April 13th.

To ensure that the measure works, he has called for the massive production of masks by competent authorities.
Secondly, the production of medicine, hand sanitizer and other related things used to prevent COVID 19 should intensify he adds. He called on the ministries of scientific research and innovation and that of public health to ensure that.

The government of Cameroon is to set up specialized COVID 19 treatment centres in all the ten regional capitals. The Prime minister stresses that this will permit normal hospitals to take care of patients suffering from other diseases.

The campaign for more Cameroonians to be screened will also be intensified as oficials have explained the advantages of early diagnoses of the virus. The intensification of sensitization and awareness campaign will eb done using the two official languages and other local languages, a task Dion Ngute has assigned the ministry of communication to handle.

Though coronavirus has paralyzed most activities in Cameroon, the government says essential activities for the economy will continue. The PM ends his seven point instruction saying “there will be systematic sanctioning of anyone who violates the restrictions and confinement imposed on persons at risk”.

Away from all these, government is considering accompanying measures that will mitigate the negative effect of COVID 19 in the various sectors of activities that have suffered most. The number of infected cases in Cameroon as of Friday April 10th stands at 803, with 12 deaths and 61 patients that have recovered from the pandemic.

Mimi Mefo Info.