In Mozambique, the government officially confirmed the first Corona case on March 22, 2020. The provinces of Nampula, Cabo Delgado, and Maputo City have the highest number of active Covid 19 cases in the country.

Arrangements made by the government

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, declared a state of emergency for the first time on March 30, 2020. This has now been extended until the end of June 2020, for the time being.
The rapid response of the government of Mozambique has kept the number of infections low. The number of people infected with Covid-19, for example, was a very manageable eight people (as of 03/30/2020). Of these, two became infected through local transmission and six contracted the disease abroad.

Prevention against Coronavirus

After the first confirmed corona case in Mozambique, the Mozambican government ordered compliance with hygiene rules. Further protective measures followed:

  • Closing schools,
  • Issuance of visas suspended, entrants must enter 14-day quarantine,
  • Warning of crowds,
  • Prohibition of public and private events, except for unavoidable state affairs,
  • Closure of the public markets.

Further restrictions apply to:

  • the internal passenger traffic,
  • entry into the country, except for the transport of goods and commodities by accredited operators or for health reasons.

A new testing laboratory will be established in Nampula Province by mid-July 2020. At this stage, testing can only be done in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique.

Impact on Tourism

The tourism industry is one of the economic sectors suffering the most from the Corona crisis. After all, it is not only in Mozambique that people have to stay predominantly indoors, but also in many other countries.
In Mozambique, for example, the government suspended domestic tourism at the very beginning of the state of emergency. Beach vacations are allowed only for regional residents, max. two persons or family members living in the same household.
In the province of Inhambane, located in southern Mozambique, the tourism sector employs the largest number of workers. The Covid 19 pandemic will lay off nearly half the workforce in Inhambane alone. For these more than 5,000 affected people, the tourism board is asking the government for support. In particular, the continued payment of wages for several months is to be negotiated.

General and Social Issues

In Mozambique, about one in two people live below the poverty line, the vast majority from agriculture. As a result, there is a close cohesion of families and people among themselves, as they depend on each other for support. However, due to the coronavirus, social contacts are severely limited. So it’s not surprising that people find it particularly difficult to give up habits such as shaking hands, kissing or hugging. Family reunions and events, which are important for society, must also be suspended for the time being. In addition, many people depend on selling their products at the markets or going to work. Public transport is also causing major problems in Mozambique. The buses in the cities are already overcrowded – the distance regulations add to the difficulties.

In Mozambique there are no state social benefits as we know it from Germany. For this reason, the population organizes many neighborhood fundraisers throughout the country. This involves providing basic foodstuffs, water and hygiene articles to population groups that have been particularly badly hit financially. Schools also need support in feeding children to avoid dropouts.

The long period of drought has led to a shortage of basic foodstuffs, particularly in Inhambane province. In addition, the price of food has risen due to the Corona crisis.

#WirBleibenZuHause #StayAtHome #FiqueEmCasa #NuFikaNaKaza

Published On: 26. June 2020|Last Updated: 26. June 2020|Categories: Mozambique, Mozambique|544 words|2.7 min read|