MBABANE: Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini has announced that the relaxed partial lockdown measures have been revoked with effect from Friday (24 April 2020) as COVID-19 confirmed cases continue to rise.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, the PM said new information suggests that that the numbers of confirmed cases have almost doubled from 16 to 31 hence the decision to revoke the partial lockdown. He further announced that government was in the process of distributing food to 300 000 eMaswati from 63 000 homes.
"Following the pronouncement of a relaxed partial lockdown last week, to balance the scale between protecting the lives of Emaswati and ensuring access to basic necessities of life in the wake of COVID 19, this has been revoked. New information emerged showing that positive cases have almost doubled from 16 to 31. We have observed with concern that compliance among the populace is creeping in and an increasing number of people around the country lack vigilance. The level of compliance to the measures which are aimed at curtailing the rapid spread of COVID 19 has dramatically dropped" he said
The PM further said the number of people leaving their homes and residences for non-essential services have increased such that it was business as usual in cities, towns and communities yet the measures of the partial lockdown were still in force.
"Our health system cannot withstand a surge in infections and neither our resources are adequate to manage an uncontrollable transmission of the virus .It is for these reasons that after wide consultations government has taken the decision to remove measures of the relaxed partial lockdown with effect from Friday 24” said the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini