BAMAKO, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Mali reported 7 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 18, the Malian Ministry of Health and Social Affairs announced at a press briefing.

The Malian Minister of Health and Social Affairs Michel Hamala Sidibe said Mali received a donation on Friday from China's Jack Ma Foundation.

Composed of 20,000 test kits, 100,000 masks and 1,000 protective suits, "this donation will strengthen our stock and our response mechanism to COVID-19", he said.

However, the government has decided to maintain the legislative elections set for March 29, by inviting "all voters to strict compliance with the measures to prevent and combat the coronavirus".

He said hand washing kits or hand sanitizer will be available on Sunday at the entrance of each polling station.

The government invited voters to avoid regrouping inside and outside polling stations, respect a distance of at least one meter between them in the queues, respect sanitary barrier measures, avoid handshakes, avoid braces and wash hands before and after voting.

"Voting is a right. Protecting yourself and others against coronavirus is a duty," said the Malian government.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared a state of health emergency in Mali on Wednesday evening and instituted a curfew from March 26.

In his message to the Nation, President Keita also said that "Mali's land borders will be closed, except for freight and the transport of goods, in particular basic necessities". Enditem

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