AMMAN: Officials in Jordan have ordered a return to partial lockdown after a spike in COVID-19 cases from fewer than 10 a day to more than 30.
Curfew hours will be extended from Tuesday, with restaurants and coffee shops closing at 10 p.m. andmovement restricted between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. There will be a 24-hour curfew in Amman and Zarqa next Friday.
Christians have been asked to stop holding physical services after 17 new cases were linked to a church in Amman. David Rihani, head of the Assemblies of God, told Arab News those affected in the Misdar parish had been in contact with an infected man who worked in a local meat-processing factory.
“When we heard about the issue, we asked all those who came into contact with this individual to get a virus test..” The church would abide by government directives not to hold any in-house events so as to stem the spread of the virus, he said.
Jordanians are also braced for the reopening of schools on Sept. 1, and special measures have been agreed to try to control the pandemic in schools. “We will close for 14 days any school in which cases of the virus are confirmed and will make sure that the students can learn virtually,” said Education Minister Tasyseer Nuimi.
Jordan remains relatively virus free. It has recorded only 1,576 cases and 12 deaths, including one on Sunday.
