Universities, cultural spaces shut down as COVID surges

As part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus as cases continue to surge, most universities in Algeria have suspended in-person teaching until the beginning of February, an education ministry official told state media on Wednesday 26 January, reports The New Arab.

At an emergency meeting held last week in response to climbing Omicron infections, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said a decision to stop face-to-face teaching could be made by university management, taking exam timetables and other factors into account. Following that meeting, schools across the country were closed for 10 days to curb the spread of the virus. On Tuesday, the country’s culture ministry announced museums, cinemas, libraries and other sites would be shut to the public “until the health situation improves”.

Algeria has seen coronavirus cases surge since the beginning of 2021. The country’s health ministry announced on Tuesday 25 January that it had recorded 2,521 cases in 24 hours. The government has asked major institutions including universities to encourage staff to get vaccinated, and organise vaccination drives for employees.
Full report on The New Arab site