BELGRADE (Reuters) – A month after it was declared coronavirus-free, Montenegro reintroduced restrictions late on Thursday, including a ban on sports events and outdoor political rallies, to try to contain a spike of new cases.
In a statement, the national body tasked with combating the disease said it had also banned religious gatherings outside places of worship.
“Funerals will be performed exclusively within family circles,” it added.
Montenegro’s authorities have also introduced an array of additional restrictions in two municipalities in the north of the country which have been hardest hit by the disease, including a curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.
On May 25, Montenegro which is dependent on revenues from tourism along its Adriatic coast, declared itself coronavirus-free, but the number of infections spiked 10 days ago. The authorities have since reported 100 new cases.
The COVID-19 disease has so far killed nine people and infected 424 in the country, which has a population of only 620,000.
(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Mark Potter)
