ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in the country to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus.
“Considering the gravity of the COVID19, the government of Ethiopia has enacted a State of Emergency,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s office said.
He appealed to the public “to follow the ensuing measures that will further define the SOE..
Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, has recorded 52 cases of COVID-19 and two deaths.
Details on what restrictions the decree will impose are yet to be announced.
However, the government had earlier declared it would not impose a lockdown as being implemented in many countries.