The compulsory wearing of face masks in all public places nationwide go into force as from this Monday April 13, 2020 with sanctions awaiting defaulters.

The measure was announced Thursday April 9 by the Prime Minister Head of Government Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute alongside other new measures aimed at intensifying the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic that has already claimed fourteen victims in Cameroon.

This measure comes amidst a continues upsurge in confirmed Coronavirus cases in the country.

Besides that, the Prime Minister has ordered for the intensification of COVID-19 screening campaigns with the collaboration of the Centre Pasteur and its branches as well as other relevant health institutions, the intensification of the awareness-raising campaign in urban and rural areas both in the two official languages and in local languages through complementary channels of communication, all of which aim at containing the rapid spread of the virus.

As at this Monday morning, Cameroon counts eight hundred and thirty-two cases confirmed in six regions, Centre, Littoral, West, South, South West and East, with the Centre being the epicentre of the virus in the country with close to five hundred cases.

So far, the pandemic has claimed fourteen victims, and ninety-eight have been successfully treated.