Making statements after the ministerial cabinet meeting, Libyan Government spokesperson Mohammed Hammoude announced that they have decided to temporarily close the Libya-Tunisia border. Hammoude stated that the decision came after the exacerbation of the pandemic situation in Tunisia, the increase in the mutated Delta variant of the virus, and the statement by the Tunisian Ministry of Health indicating that the country’s health system has collapsed.
In his press statement, Hammoude stated that Libyan citizens, who were stuck in Tunisia, will be evacuated from the country through the Consulate. In addition, education was suspended at universities and high schools in Libya until the end of Eid al-Adha.
On July 8, the highest number of cases was reached in Tunisia. In the statement made by the Tunisian Ministry of Health, it was reported that 134 people died in the last 24 hours and 9,823 people were infected. It was also stated that the number of cases in the last 24 hours was the highest number recorded since the beginning of the pandemic.
The increasing number of cases and deaths in the last week in Tunisia causes concern about the existence of a new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. In addition, the Ministry of Health stated that there are deficiencies in the supply of oxygen and beds in hospitals and that the health system is at the point of collapse. It is expected that strict measures will be taken in the coming days in order to not worsen the current situation further.
