Lithuania has ordered people re-entering the country from abroad to undergo mandatory two-week quarantine at a municipal facility as of Tuesday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
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According to orders issued by Health Minister Aurelijus Veryga, self-isolation at home is no longer permitted, with quarantine at a designated facility now mandatory even if returnees test negative for the coronavirus.
The EU member state on the Baltic Sea is now enforcing stricter measures to deal with the pandemic after reporting over 180 cases of the coronavirus on its territory.
According to the quarantine orders, cities and towns must provide adequate food and living quarters for those kept in isolation.
Critics say the orders will dissuade people from getting tested for the coronavirus because the isolation is mandatory either way.
Officials have also complained, both about being forced to make the facilities available and about providing resources for those quarantined without symptoms.