On Sunday, a Libyan government delegation arrived at Carthage International Airport in Tunisia, to follow up on the conditions of the stranded Libyans in Tunisia.
The visit comes within the framework the Government of National Unity (GNU)’s keenness to ensure safe repatriation of the stranded Libyans, taking into account the necessary precautionary measures to restrain the rapid outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notably, Libya imposed sweeping restrictions to stem the spread of COVID-19 as recorded cases hit a new high, with experts warning of a “critical” situation.
For the next two weeks, cafés must close, weddings and organized funerals with mourners are barred, and the use of public transport is banned, Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbaiba said today in a decree.
Restaurants can only serve food via deliveries, and people must wear a mask and observe social distancing rules in shops and markets.
The Head of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Badr El-Din al-Najjar, warned of a “critical” situation, due to the rapid increase in infections.
In past weeks, daily recorded cases have not exceeded 400 a day. But numbers spiked this week, with health officials recording 2,854 cases in 48 hours, according to the latest official figures.
Libya is struggling to emerge from decades of violence and political rivalries following its descent into chaos in the aftermath of the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that killed leader Moammar Gaddafi.
The new measures come just days after the borders were closed with North African neighbor Tunisia, where the health system is struggling to cope with an influx of patients with COVID-19.
Libya, a country of less than seven million, has officially recorded 204,090 cases including 3,240 deaths. Just over 425,000 people have been vaccinated.