Albania declares natural disaster, authorities granted extraordinary powers

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Albania declared the coronavirus a natural disaster on Wednesday, granting authorities 30 days of extraordinary powers to search homes and ban movement and strikes in order to curb the epidemic that has killed five people.

Albania has banned all travel within the country and ordered people to stay in their homes since the first coronavirus infection was diagnosed in early March in a man who returned from Italy.

"The government has decided to declare a state of natural disaster in the Republic of Albania due to the epidemic caused by Covid-19," the statement said.

Strict measures have already been announced, including a 16-hour curfew and an order for people not to walk near each other, not even couples.

Individuals who have ignored the order to remain in fourteen-day isolation have already been fined 700,000 lek (about 6,000 euros).