Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of May 31st, 2021
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of May 31st, 2021
The Council of Ministers met, in the Ministry of Finance Auditorium, in Dili, and approved the draft Government’s Resolution that renews the Declaration of the State of Calamity, for another 60 days, due to the occurrence of floods and inundations in the Dili Municipality, in the early morning of the April 4th, 2021, caused by the tropical cyclone Seroja.
After reviewing the presentation on the epidemiological situation of the country, gave by the Integrated Centre for Crisis Management (CIGC) coordinators, the Council of Ministers approved the draft Government Decree on the implementation measures of the State Emergency, made by the Decree of the President of the Republic no. 35/2021, May 28th, to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The State of Emergency, now renewed, covers the entire national territory and is in force between June 2nd, 2021, 12.00 am, and July 1st, 2021, 11.59 pm.
Concerning the enforcement measures of the previous Declaration of State of Emergency, there is only one change, establishing that individuals with certification of complete vaccination against COVID-19 may now move freely throughout the territory, including in municipalities covered by the imposition of sanitary fences and/or home confinement.
The remaining rules remain unchanged, namely the obligation of all individuals residing in Timor-Leste to keep a distance of, at least, three feet from other individuals with whom they do not live in common economy. They are also still obliged to wear a face mask that covers the nose and mouth when having access to or staying in public or private places of collective use and to wash their hands when entering commercial, industrial or service provision establishments or buildings where public administration services operate. Everyone is also obliged to avoid crowding in public places.
Draft Government Resolutions maintaining the imposition of sanitary fences in the municipalities of Bobonaro, Covalima and Dili for another 14 days and in the municipalities of Baucau and Viqueque for another seven days, were also approved..
Thus, the ban on the movement of persons between these municipalities and the other administrative districts is maintained, except in cases duly justified on grounds of public safety, public health, humanitarian assistance, maintenance of the public supply systems or the public interest.
The Council of Ministers also approved the draft Government Resolution that maintains the imposition of compulsory confinement in the Municipality of Dili for another 14 days.
In the Municipality of Dili, the imposition of general home confinement on all persons residing or presently in the Municipality of Dili also remains in place, except for the reasons already defined, namely for reasons of health, work, to access basic goods and services and to participate in religious celebrations and other religious events. There is only one change, with the authorization to citizens to leave their residences to carry out voter registration.
The CIGC officials, in their presentation, informed the members of the Council of Ministers that in the last 14 days, from May 17th to 30th, a total of 2,432 people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were registered throughout the country, of which 2,043 in Dili, 131 in Bobonaro, 81 in Covalima, 55 in Baucau and 53 in Viqueque.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 6,615 people has been detected infected with the new Coronavirus. Currently there are 2,648 active cases throughout the country. The municipalities with more active cases are Dili, with 2.079, Baucau, with 179, Covalima, with 150, Bobonaro, with 126 and Viqueque, with 35.
Data relating to the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccine in the country were also presented. So far Timor-Leste has received 60 thousand doses of AstraZeneca vaccine provided by Australia and 24 thousand doses from the COVAX mechanism. Since the beginning of the vaccination campaign, last April 7th, a total of 76,582 people in the country have already received the first dose of the vaccine, which corresponds to 10% of the population over 18 years old. In the Dili municipality, 64,005 people have already been vaccinated, which corresponds to 30% of the population over 18 years old in the capital.
In addition to the batches of vaccine from Australia, 76,800 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine under the COVAX mechanism and 100,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine from China are expected to arrive at the beginning of June. END
