Dili, December 3^rd, 2020 – The National Parliament approved, this Thursday, in an extraordinary plenary session, with 46 votes in favour, 0 against, and 3 abstentions, the Government’s request to authorize the President of the Republic to declare the State of Emergency for the eighth time, thus, empowering the Government to close borders, ban all entries into national territory, impose a mandatory quarantine, isolate all those suspected of being infected, in addition to other measures such as social distancing, the use of masks, hygiene/ washing hands and the application of fines in cases of illegal entry.

In his speech, His Excellency Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak said that it is important to ensure that Timor-Leste remains free from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the Government asked the National Parliament to approve another Government request to authorize the Head of State to declare the State of Emergency for the eighth time, giving strength to the Government in the fight against this outbreak.

In our country, Timor-Leste, thanks to everyone’s efforts, we were able to identify all cases that come from abroad, we have made therapeutic isolation to all those infected in a safer isolation center, in order to prevent the spread of the virus within the community, and we eliminated this virus in our country. However, since this virus has not yet completely disappeared, the Government needs to continue to ensure epidemiological surveillance mechanisms, in order to prevent and reduce the possibility of importing this virus into our country. For public health protection, the Government is once again asking for authorization from the National Parliament for the extension of the State of Emergency, for the eighth time, so that we can keep our borders closed, so that we can interdict all entrances, impose compulsory quarantine for everyone suspected of being infected, in addition to other measures such as social distancing, the use of masks, hygiene/washing hands and the application of fines for cases of illegal entries. We will only be able to properly implement these measures if we limit some people’s rights, such as the international movement right, freedom of movement and residence right, or the right of active and passive resistance to the orders of the authorities. We can only do this if we renew the State of Emergency”, said Chief of Executive, in his speech to the people’s representatives.

The COVID-19 pandemic emerged in the city of Wuhan-China, in December 2019, and to date has affected 226 countries and shown a large spreading capacity, with the epidemiological situation worsening since September 2020, with the number of cases increasing every day. This second wave of the pandemic threatens mainly the European and American continents.

According to the Ministry of Health report, Timor-Leste registers 32 cases, of which one is a new case, and does not register any case of death. Worldwide, and according to the latest WHO  data, as of December 3^rd, 2020,  66,8 million people were infected and around 1,4 million people died from the disease. END/M-PMO