Ermera reported 176 new cases of COVID-19 over 48 hours from Friday, according to data from the Integrated Centre of Crises Management (ICCM).

Cases steadily increased over seven days to 1 August, with 429 of 618 new cases of COVID-19 identified last week found in Ermera.

None of the infected people in Ermera were vaccinated against COVID-19, the ICCM bulletin said.

Ermera, has gone into a two-week lockdown since August 31, with Timor-Leste authorities authorising on Friday a health fence around the municipality.

The health fence restricts movement in and out of Ermera and confinines people to their homes except for essential work, shopping and health care purposes to 11 August at 23:59 hrs.

As part of the new measure’s schools have also been closed.

People who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and children under 6 years are exempt from the regulations and can travel freely around Timor-Leste.

The ICCM reports that only 12.7 % of the adult population in Ermera have received their first COVID-19 vaccine.