KHARTOUM, Sudan 

Sudan will impose a partial curfew as part of efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, an official said Monday.  

In a televised statement, the head of the National Health Emergency Committee, Siddiq Tawer, said the authorities have decided to impose a curfew beginning Tuesday from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. and are urging residents to cooperate.  

“After we studied the situation in Sudan and according to the data we have, we decided to declare a night curfew beginning from Tuesday in the entire country,” Tawer said.   

Intercity travel via public transport, including buses, is also prohibited, according to the new regulations.  

Tawer said Sudan has 17 suspected cases of the coronavirus who are in quarantine, adding there has been no increase in confirmed cases. 

The head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has asked people to stay home, warning that the country’s healthcare system is fragile and cannot cope with the spread of the virus.  

Addressing the nation Monday, al-Burhan announced the establishment of a fund to collect donations from Sudanese inside and outside the country to support health authorities’ efforts to contain the spread of the disease. 

Sudan closed all its airports a few days ago as part of efforts to combat the virus.  

The country has two confirmed cases, one of which has died.