Tunisia Reports Zero COVID-19 Cases for 8th Successive Day

Tunisians wearing protective masks in Tunis, Tunisia (File photo: AFP)
Tunisians wearing protective masks in Tunis, Tunisia (File photo: AFP)
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Tunisia Reports Zero COVID-19 Cases for 8th Successive Day

Tunisians wearing protective masks in Tunis, Tunisia (File photo: AFP)
Tunisians wearing protective masks in Tunis, Tunisia (File photo: AFP)

The Tunisian Ministry of Health announced that the country did not record any new coronavirus cases for the eighth day in a row, which confirms the success of the government plan to limit the spread of the pandemic.

The Ministry stated that the total number of confirmed cases in the country is 49, all of whom who are under medical supervision, with over 989 recoveries.

The director-general of the National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases, Nissaf Ben Alaya, announced that for over 40 days, 15 of the 24 Tunisian states did not record any COVID-19 cases, while five other states did not report any local cases for over 37 days.

Also, four states including Tunisia, Gafsa, Qibili, and Mahdia, did not report new cases for over 20 days, which confirms the great success in controlling the pandemic, according to Ben Alaya.

She also said that for three consecutive weeks, the virus has not been transmitted over the Tunisian territory. She announced that the next stage of maintaining Tunisia’s health security is considered more difficult than the previous stage of containing the virus.

However, Ben Alaya warned that the virus could return if Tunisians did not respect the recommended health measures, including maintaining social distance and wearing masks in closed areas.

She emphasized that the National Anti-Coronavirus Committee identified several scenarios that include easing lockdown restrictions and measures if the number of cases decreased globally. It also calls for several preventive measures for arrivals from countries with a high number of cases.

Earlier, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) announced Tunisia as a "safe tourist destination" during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNWTO said Tunisia has developed a health protocol to guarantee a safe environment for travelers and workers in the tourism sector.

Tunisia announced it is ready to resume tourism safely and will be reopening its borders on June 27 and welcome international tourists as of July.

The third phase of the country’s efforts to lift its coronavirus lockdown began on June 4, and inter-city and regional travel has already resumed in full.



Gunmen Attack Tunisian Military Patrol Near Libya Border, Soldier Killed

Tunisian soldiers in Tunis - File Photo/EPA
Tunisian soldiers in Tunis - File Photo/EPA
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Gunmen Attack Tunisian Military Patrol Near Libya Border, Soldier Killed

Tunisian soldiers in Tunis - File Photo/EPA
Tunisian soldiers in Tunis - File Photo/EPA

Unidentified attackers opened fire on a Tunisian military patrol near the Libyan border on Wednesday, killing a soldier, the Tunisian Ministry of Defense said.