Senegalese President Macky Sall has ordered an extension of the “state of sanitary catastrophe” in the regions of Dakar and Thies, until March 20, in order to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, Senegalese Interior Minister Antoine Felix Diome announced Saturday.

Speaking on public television, the Senegalese minister said that the Senegalese authorities have maintained the anti-COVID-19 preventive measures taken on January 6 in these two regions.

The measures include the ban between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. on movement of people and goods, demonstrations and gatherings at public places, all private and public gatherings, such as baptisms, weddings, receptions, and religious events.

Diome added that the wearing of a protective mask remains in force in public and private places throughout the territory.

According to him, statistics over the past few days have shown that the situation remains "worrying" in the regions of Dakar and Thies in terms of the number of news infections, serious cases and deaths.

Since mid-December, Senegal has been hit hard by a second wave of COVID-19.

The Senegalese authorities received 200,000 doses of the vaccine from the Chinese company Sinopharm Wednesday night.

According to the country’s Minister of Health and Social Action, the vaccination campaign will kick off on Feb. 23.

Senegal reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 2, 2020.