Apr 13, 2020
The Democratic Republic of the Congo reported two new cases of Ebola over the weekend, just days before officials were set to declare an end to the latest outbreak of the deadly disease. The DRC is also struggling to contain a measles outbreak, and fears are growing that the novel coronavirus has spread far beyond the 235 cases and 20 deaths reported so far.
Liberians Say They Fear Hunger More Than COVID-19 as Police Violently Enforce Lockdown
In Liberia, police in riot gear used truncheons and sticks to beat people who remained in the streets of the capital Monrovia Saturday as a lockdown for the city of 1 million people went into effect. Many residents said the threat of hunger far outstripped the threat of the coronavirus.
Jettroy Kolleh: “If today you tell them that tomorrow will be a state of emergency, that everyone should stay in and quarantine themselves, then how do you expect them to be fed? You know what’s going to kill many people? Corona is not going to kill many people. It’s the hunger that will kill many Liberians.”