Angola 'quarantines' suburb of capital to contain virus spread

Angolan authorities have isolated a suburb of the capital Luanda after a number of cases were discovered there. The move is part of efforts to contain spread of COVID-19. It comes despite the relaxation of lockdown measures imposed on Luanda.

The development has attracted varied responses in the area most of them of residents expressing concerns over the impact.

“It is very complicated, very complicated, well it is not possible to confine us inside our homes when people are already used to going out every day looking for bread,” one street vendor said.

For Amando Kizitaka, a merchant; the new cases represented a new headache at a time when life seemed to be getting back to normal.

“Yes, we stayed at home longer with these new cases that we now have, we have already confirmed forty cases and authorised another reopening of the squares and warehouses and now in this part we have seen a rise (in cases) how are we going to manage this situation?”

Angola has as of May 13 registered 42 cases of coronavirus, with thirteen recoveries and two deaths. The tallies represents one of the lowest tallies in the southern African region and across the continent at large.