Tunisia PM warns COVID-19 deaths may reach 7,000

TUNIS - Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi said on Monday that the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in the country may reach 6,000-7,000, describing the health situation as "very dangerous".

COVID-19 cases have been rising quickly in Tunisia, which had managed to contain the virus earlier this year, and have now reached 70,000 cases and 1,900 deaths in a country of 11.5 million.

Medical sources told Reuters intensive care units in most state hospitals had reached maximum capacity.

The government imposed a night curfew this month and banned travel between cities to slow a second wave of the pandemic.