Tunisia to reopen economy despite hospital strain

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisian authorities plan to reopen the economy next week amid public pushback against virus restrictions. But the country’s hospitals are struggling for enough oxygen to treat a persistently high number of COVID-19 patients. Tunisia shut down shops, restaurants and mosques and banned all sports and cultural events last week as the prime minister warned that the health system risked collapsing. But the public is frustrated and some small business owners or market traders defied the new lockdown. The government announced Wednesday night that it will go forward with reopening plans starting May 16, and promised new aid to businesses and the poor.