COVID-19: Senegal, Ivory Coast declare emergency

Senegal and Ivory Coast have declared states of emergency over the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Senegalese President Macky Sall said the state of emergency would start on Tuesday midnight, accompanied by a curfew from 8:00pm to 6:00am local time.

The military and police have been ordered to execute the measures.

The announcement was made in an address to the nation on Tuesday in which Mr Sall acknowledged that the country was struggling to contain the spread of the virus.

Senegal has 79 confirmed cases of Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by coronavirus, including eight people who have recovered.

In Ivory Coast, President Alassane Ouattara said the government would introduce gradual confinement measures and a curfew from 9:00pm to 5:00am local time from Tuesday.