In a dispatch, the Chief of Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces, General António Egídio Santos, determined "high combat readiness" to all units, establishments and organs of the Armed Forces during the state of emergency in the country.
According to the document, from this Saturday until 12 April, the measures to restrict the movement of personnel of the Armed Forces and epidemiological control to Covid-19 should be reinforced.
The decision aims at the Armed Forces providing the necessary assistance to the civil institutions of the State to contain the pandemic of the new coronavirus, which already has five positive cases in Angola.
The state of emergency includes measures such as "compulsive confinement of the targeted person in his own home or in a health establishment indicated by the public authorities" and a ban on travel and stay on public roads that are not justified, with the exception of professional activities, medical assistance and medication, supply of essential goods or services.
Despite the start of the state of emergency on Friday, many citizens continued to take to the streets and the police have already forced the closure of some restaurants that had customers inside, and the owners have been arrested.
During the period of the state of emergency only restaurants that operate on a home delivery or take away basis may be in operation.
The new coronavirus, responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic, has already infected more than 640,000 people worldwide, of whom more than 30,000 have died.
Of the cases of infection, at least 130,600 are considered cured.
