DILI, 25 august 2021 (TATOLI) – The Government of Timor-Leste re-imposed the general mandatory confinement for all citizens residing in capital Dili to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2, particularly the local transmission of the Delta variant.
The one-week home confinement is set to begin on august 27, at 00:00 am, and expires on september 2, at 11:59 pm local time.
The Minister of Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Leite Magalhães made the comments at the press conference, following the conclusion of the meeting of the Council of Ministers, at the Palace of the Government, on wednesday.
“After hearing the presentation of the Integrated Crisis Management Center (SIJK) on the epidemiological situation of Covid-19 in Timor-Leste, the Council of Ministers had decided to re-impose the general mandatory home confinement in the capital Dili.
Magalhães said the new restrictions of the 7-day home confinement include a ban on any activity of large gatherings: “This home mandatory confinement will apply to all population, including the fully vaccinated citizens.”
“This decision was taken as the new Delta variant poses a great threat to our public health. Therefore, a drastic decision has to be urgently made to contain the spread of the Delta variant in the communities,” said Magalhães.
He said after the 7-day home confinement, the government will reassess the epidemiological situation in the country as whether to lift the home confinement or imposing other restriction measures.
“The decision was made to save the life of the Timorese people. It is a sacrifice that all parties have to make to combat the Covid-19 in Timor-Leste,” affirmed Magalhães.
The restrictions of the 7-day compulsory home confinement include a ban on large gathering activities – teaching and learning activities of primary and high schools and universities, religious assemblies, ritual and cultural ceremonies, and so on.
Magalhães informed that citizens will be allowed to only go out for shopping basic necessities, and visiting health care centers to getting vaccinated.
In addition, at the meeting, the Council of Ministers also renewed the sanitary fence in the capital Dili and Ermera municipality for another 14 days.
The Council of Ministers also extended the mandatory home confinement in the two administrative posts of Ermera Municipality – Ermera and Railaco, to another week.
Magalahães said due to the spike of the new Covid-19 cases in Covalima and Baucau municipality, saying, therefore, the Council of Ministers also had decided to impose 14-day mandatory confinement in the two municipalities: “It will start tonight at 00:00 and will expire on september 8, 2021.”
There has been a total of 15.296 lab-confirmed cases of the virus in Timor-Leste, with 11.192 recoveries, active cases were 4.052 and 52 deaths, according to SIJK’s data.
In Timor-Leste, of the 754.864 eligible groups, 49.8 percent had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, of which 24.1 percent have also received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
