In the last two weeks, the country has recorded a daily average of 500 new cases of COVID-19, a fact that could put pressure on the already weak public health system, given the exponential increase of hospital admissions. Maputo City (the capital) and Tete Province in the centre of the country are the areas with the highest incidence of new cases of infections with COVID-19.
The greatest challenge is still to control gatherings, especially in informal trade, on which most of the urban population depends
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As of 28 June 2021, the country has recorded 75,422 positive cases, of which 75,053 were locally transmitted and 369 imported cases. On the same date, the country recorded 868 deaths as a result of the disease. In the month of June alone, 35 people died as a result of COVID-19 infection, an increase of 66.7% compared to the same period in May.
In view of these worrying figures for a country with scarce resources such as Mozambique, the President of the Republic announced, among several measures, the following: ban on the use of theatres, cultural centres and auditoriums, with their exceptional use requiring authorisation from the Minister of Justice. In addition, there is a ban on beach attendance for bathers. All private social events are prohibited, regardless of where they are held, for a period of 30 days. Weddings may not exceed 20 people. Recreational and leisure games and all types of competitions are banned.
The sale of drinks is still restricted and bottle stores must adopt the 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. schedule, and the consumption of alcoholic beverages on site is prohibited. Restaurants must close by 8pm. The cities of Maputo and all provincial capitals and the Cities and Towns of Chokwe, Maxixe, Dondo, Moatize, Montepuez, Mocuba, Nacala, Cuamba, Boane, Marracuene, Manhiça, Massinga, Gondola and Guruè, are under a curfew that will be in force from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., for 30 days.
On the other hand, since 26 June, the Police of the Mozambican Republic, the municipal police and the National Inspectorate of Economic Activities have been tightening up mechanisms for controlling gatherings, including night patrols in the neighbourhoods, to prevent the violation of the State of Public Disaster in force in the country.
Indeed, after a certain relaxation of the measures accompanied by the sharp decline in positive COVID-19 cases, the country seemed to no longer be under a State of Public Disaster. In May, many people had completely abandoned compliance with the measures by holding parties and events with hundreds of participants, including bars and discos that operated beyond the permitted hours. Social events are seen to be the main source of contamination of COVID-19 in Mozambique.
For a poor country like Mozambique, the management of the pandemic has been fairly successful, with no real collapse of the health system or mass deaths as a result of the disease
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On 21 June 2021, the Minister of Health, Armindo Tiago, announced the first case of the Delta variant, in Tete Province. This variant is thought to be more transmissible. If the infection rate continues to increase in the coming days, the President of the Republic may be forced to increase the level of restrictions, taking into account the fact that the educational establishments, government departments and all public services continue to operate and even economic activities are continuing within some normality during the day.
The greatest challenge is still to control gatherings, especially in informal trade, on which most of the urban population depends. Public transport is also considered a source of transmission due to the violation of the permitted capacity. The other critical factor is the control of weekend gatherings mainly organised by young people.
The fact that Mozambique borders the Republic of South Africa may also be associated with the increase in cases in Maputo, given the high movement of people between the two countries from the border at Ressano Garcia. In any case, for a poor country like Mozambique, the management of the pandemic has been fairly successful, with no real collapse of the health system or mass deaths as a result of the disease. On the other hand, the Government has set up a Scientific Committee that brings together some of the country’s most prestigious academics who have been advising the Government on the adoption of measures to prevent and combat the pandemic.
To help the business sector, which has been severely affected by the pandemic, the Government has taken around 600 million Meticais (+/- 10 million US dollars) from the National Institute of Social Security and placed them in the National Investment Bank (a public bank) to finance companies, both for investment expenses and cash flow reinforcement. Furthermore, through the National Institute for Social Action, it is distributing some money to households that are demonstrably poor and heavily affected by the pandemic.
The currently imposed restrictions shall remain in force for 30 days, after which the President must address the nation again.
José Belmiro is a Mozambican journalist and lawyer.
