The Somali federal government has banned the movement of people between 8pm to 5am in the country’s capital, Mogadishu.

The curfew that is effective from Wednesday, 15 April is to reduce the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

Online news publication Garowe Online cited a statement by the country’s police commissioner General Abdi Hassan Mohamed who made the announcement confirming the police order.

The new orders applies to all residents living in the area but essential services workers such as police, nurses and food distributors are exempt from it.

Somalia has recorded 60 cases of Covid-19 with two registered deaths.

According to a statement issued by the country’s health ministry, 35 cases were recorded in the past 24 hours.

“We hereby confirm 35 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country to 60,” the statement said.

The cases were registered in three different areas, 32 from Mogadishu and three from the breakaway region of Somaliland.

On Thursday, Mogadishu Mayor Omar Filish called for residents to stay indoors.

The Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheire reiterated the call for people to practise physical distancing. He tweeted that the capital city was overcrowded and posed a risk for further transmission.

“Considering the urgency to minimise the spread of the disease within the community, the federal government announces that the dusk-to-dawn would be enforced in Mogadishu from Wednesday evening,” he posted.