The Somaliland government, led by President Muse Bihi, has officially announced that it has cancelled the country’s May 18 independence celebration, due to Coronavirus.

Somaliland withdrew from its unification with Somalia and declared independence from Somalia on May 18,1991.

Somaliland President, Muse Bihi Abdi stressed that the reason for cancelling such an important celebration has to do with the global epidemic of Coronavirus or Covid-19.

The president also cancelled the June 26 independence celebrations from Britain in June 26, 1960, then united with Italian Somalia on July 1st 1960.

President Bihi said the canceled events will be replaced with nationally televised speeches commemorating the celebrations.

Somaliland has seen a spike in the spread of COVID-19 in recent days and has confirmed its first Coronavirus related death in the country.