The second largest city in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) began a 48-hour lockdown on Monday after the arrival of two people with suspected coronavirus aboard a flight from Kinshasha.
Security forces were deployed in the city of Lubumbashi, in southeastern DRC, where the streets were deserted and stores were closed, an AFP journalist said.
The move came after two people with suspected coronavirus arrived on Sunday on a scheduled flight from the capital, the authorities of Haut-Katanga province said.
Fast-track tests were carried out on them and the results were positive.
Samples have been sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research (IRNB) in Kinshasa for confirmation, Health Minister Eteni Longondo said.
The plane was carrying 77 passengers, the authorities said.