Tunisia has confirmed 59 new cases of the coronavirus, Health Minister Abdelatif el-Mekki said in a televised news conference on Wednesday, taking the total number to 173.
Tunisia has instituted a curfew at nights and a lockdown during the day in which people are only allowed out to buy food or medicine or work in some key sectors.
It came newly-elected Prime Minister Elyes FakhFakh made a bid to expand the powers of his office to respond to the coronavirus crisis, which has infected over 430,000 people worldwide and killed almost 20,000 people.
A parliament session is due to be held on Thursday to discuss how to halt the virus, but Mr FakhFakh is set to face stiff opposition to a draft bill asking for the ability to temporarily ratify laws without the say-so of parliament for a period of two months.
Tunisia’s President Kais Saied on Monday ordered the army to deploy in the streets to force people to respect a lockdown imposed to halt the spread of coronavirus.
