By Benet Koleka
TIRANA (Reuters) – Albania will impose a 40 hour curfew at the weekend and limit shopping to just one family member, who will need to seek permission from an app to leave home from Monday, as the country toughens measures to contain a coronavirus outbreak.
Since the first infection was recorded 18 days ago, eight people have died, 31 have recovered and 186 have contracted the virus. With a surge in cases expected, this week’s 16-hour daily lockdown will be extended into next week.
Every kind of mass gathering has been banned and internal transport stopped, except for movement of goods and of workers in selected industries, as the army and police check streets and roads.
Pensioners have been ordered inside and Prime Minister Edi Rama said those who had no children would be supplied with food and medicine by the state.
The first public figure to be infected, opposition lawmaker Adriatik Alimadhi, approved of lockdown measures and praised the work of doctors, but said he regretted the lack of attention once he and his wife, also infected, were confined at home.
“Why isn’t there some attention for our case after we were diagnosed on March 24,” Alimadhi said. “Why were those in contact with me just asked if they had a fever and told to take paracetamol?”
Alimadhi said both he and his wife were taking paracetamol every five hours and taking care of each other.
“Turn your eyes and necessary attention to the Albanians, check the (health) services and do not take for granted what you are being told,” Alimadhi wrote to Rama on Facebook.
Rama wished Alimadhi a speedy recovery and told him the coronavirus strategy was devised by health specialists, not politicians.
(Reporting by Benet Koleka; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
