King Abdullah II of Jordan announced today that his country has brought the coronavirus epidemic "under control," The Guardian reports.
“We have successfully dealt with the coronavirus, which today is under control in Jordan,” he said during a meeting with prominent Jordanians. “But like every country in the world we have paid an economic price, and the time has come to focus ... on the economic situation.”
Jordan has confirmed 1,179 virus cases and 10 deaths so far. A curfew was imposed in the early months of the epidemic, which has since been eased; other measures such as social distancing and face masks are still in force.
The country's tourism industry has been especially hard-hit by the regulations. Jordan usually welcomes around five million tourists a year, netting the country $5 billion last year alone. Estimates are that around 19.3% of the population is now employed.