- Title: Jordan extends coronavirus curfew, food is delivered to homes nationwide
- Date: 24th March 2020
- Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (MARCH 24, 2020) (REUTERS) BREAD MOVING ALONG A CONVEYER BELT VARIOUS OF BAKERY EMPLOYEES STACKING BREAD VARIOUS OF SHELVES FULL OF BAGS OF BREAD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BAKERY EMPLOYEE, HAMZA JARAH, SAYING: "We started making the bread early this morning, at around 4:00 am, and up until this moment we have produced around 4 tonnes. The municipality employees drive here in their buses, escorted by members of the police, our employees then join them in order to go out and begin the bread distribution." EXTERIOR OF A BAKERY MEN CARRYING BREAD OUT OF A BAKERY, POLICE STANDING GUARD BUSES PREPARED TO DISTRIBUTE BREAD VARIOUS OF MEN PLACING BREAD ON THE BUS VARIOUS OF BAGS OF BREAD ON THE BUS VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS BUYING BREAD FAMILY LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW MEN IN LINE TO BUY BREAD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) JORDANIAN MAN, ATEF ABU HAMAD, SAYING: "To be honest, this is a great idea but at the same time look - the people are all in the street, and none of them are following instructions or wearing masks, even as you speak to me, I'm supposed to be wearing a mask, we should have masks on." MEN CARRYING BREAD, OTHERS WAITING IN LINE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FORMING A CROWD AROUND A DISTRIBUTION BUS MAN CARRYING BAG OF BREAD VARIOUS OF POLICE STOPPING CARS
- Embargoed: 7th April 2020 13:36
- Keywords: Coronavirus Jordan curfew epidemic food delivery lockdown pandemic virus
- Location: AMMAN, JORDAN
- City: AMMAN, JORDAN
- Country: Jordan
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C6EWK7B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Jordan began distributing bread and essential goods across the country on Tuesday (March 24), during a tight lockdown to try to rein in the spread of the coronavirus.
Minister of State for Media Amjad Adailah said the government had made arrangements with municipal councils to deliver enough bread, water, gas cylinders and basic medicines across the country for the rest of the week.
The authorities worry lifting the curfew for a few hours for people would create panic buying and hoarding of supplies that would risk the accelerating spread of the virus.
Confirmed cases of the illness caused by the novel coronavirus in the country of 10 million have steadily risen within a week to 127 people from six. There have been no deaths.
Jordan announced a nationwide curfew on Saturday (March 21) under draconian emergency laws that give authorities sweeping powers that restrict civil and political rights. The curfew has been extended indefinitely.
The country has deployed thousands of troops at checkpoints in main cities to ensure the curfew was heeded, saying many residents had flouted earlier calls to stay home.
Humanitarian groups say many of Jordan's poor, who make up the majority of the population, are already suffering from scarce food supplies and would be further hurt by an extended curfew.
The government has said it will help low income wage earners by delivering subsidized bread and food items that have a cap on their retail prices.
(Production: Mohammed Ramahi, Bushra Shakhshir, Matthew Stock, Vanessa Romeo) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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