COVID-19: Senegal eases curfew after protests

Senegal has announced it will ease a curfew and lift restrictions on inter-city travel following two nights of protests.

More than 200 people have been detained for questioning by police following spontaneous demonstrations in towns across the country overnight.

The protesters had been demanding an end to the curfew introduced in March to fight the pandemic.

Interior Minister Aly Ngouille Ndiaye said that the start of the curfew would be pushed back by two hours and now run from 23:00 to 05:00 local time.

Transport restrictions are being relaxed and restaurants, gyms and casinos are due to reopen with immediate effect.

Demonstrations started on Tuesday in the holy city of Touba and spread to several cities across the country on Wednesday.

The curfew has been in place since 23 March, when a ban on movement between different parts of the country was also introduced.

Earlier this week, the country decided to postpone the partial reopening of its schools scheduled for 2 June.

The return to school for students in examination classes was suspended after the confirmation of Covid-19 cases among teachers in Ziguinchor in the country’s south.