He really did that, but it was actually a humorous way to draw attention to the lack of health care infrastructure.
Residents were also ordered to not engage in activities that could lead to serious injuries, and were advised to instead spend the majority of their time resting. About half of the village’s 1,200 residents are over the age of 65. The nearest emergency hospital is located nearly 30 miles away, and is only accessible via a road with an 18 mph speed limit.