Jordan to continue night curfew even after virus outbreak 'contained'

Jordan is to continue to impose a daily night curfew even after containing the spread of the new coronavirus and allowing businesses to reopen and more movement, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.

Amjad Adailah said the Cabinet, which imposed a curfew on March 21 after enacting emergency laws that gave the government sweeping powers, would also continue to impose a weekend lockdown.

"We have contained the outbreak but the danger is real and the possibility of its return is real and serious," Adailah said.

Jordanians took to the streets after a ban was lifted on driving and many businesses reopened in a rapid return to normality after the authorities relaxed a tough nearly 50-day curfew to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Omar al Razzaz said in remarks on state television that the country's early tight lockdown measures had brought results that were far better than expected.

The government has not registered any coronavirus cases for the eighth day in a row, Razzaz added. The country has had a total of 465 cases and nine deaths.