Jordan to continue night curfew ‘even after virus outbreak contained’ – govt

The Jordanian government will continue to impose a daily night curfew even after containing the spread of the new coronavirus and allowing businesses to reopen and more movement, it has announced.

Government spokesman Amjad Adailah said on Tuesday that the cabinet, which imposed a curfew on March 21 after enacting emergency laws that gave the government sweeping powers, would also continue to impose a weekend lockdown.

“We have contained the outbreak, but the danger is real, and the possibility of its return is real and serious,” Adailah said. Jordanians took to the streets after a ban was lifted on driving, and many businesses reopened in a rapid return to normality after the authorities relaxed a tough curfew lasting nearly 50 days which was put in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus, Reuters said.

PM Omar al-Razzaz said on state television that the country’s early tight lockdown measures had brought results that were far better than expected. The country has had a total of 465 cases and nine deaths. The government has not registered any coronavirus cases for the eighth day in a row, according to Razzaz.