Tunis, June 30, (dpa/GNA) – The coronavirus pandemic continues to spread strongly in Tunisia, with more than 2,000 deaths related to Covid-19 recorded in June alone.
During the same period, hospitals treated almost 3,000 Covid-19 patients, according to figures released by the Health Ministry on Tuesday.
Hospitals are working at full capacity and lack medical equipment, forcing the country to rely on help from abroad.
According to a statement by President Kais Saied, 25 ventilators are to be delivered from Germany. Italy is also sending equipment.
Last week, about 3,500 new infections were reported daily, a figure which dropped to almost 2,000 on Monday. More than every third coronavirus test is positive.
Meanwhile, 18 cases of the particularly contagious Delta variant have also been registered.
The province of Siliana is particularly affected: The seven-day incidence rate there is at 700 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants, the highest rate in Tunisia so far.
According to local media, the population is ignoring local restrictions in particularly affected regions. In some places, the army is now supposed to help enforce the measures.
Meanwhile, the vaccination campaign is progressing only slowly: Of approximately 11.5 million inhabitants, just under 1.8 million have been vaccinated once so far, and some 500,000 of them have received full vaccination protection.
GNA