A passenger arrives at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires
MEXICO CITY, March 18 (NNN-Xinhua) — The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases topped 100 in both Peru and Ecuador on Tuesday, and Ecuador’s government has begun implementing some of the harshest measures in Latin America.
A total of 31 more cases were reported in Peru Tuesday, raising the count to 117. But only 13 of them need to be hospitalized, Peruvian health authorities said.
In Ecuador, authorities reported 53 new cases, taking the tally to 111, and two fatalities.
Among Latin American countries, Ecuador’s government has taken drastic steps to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. It declared a 60-day state of emergency on Monday and a nighttime curfew — from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. — starting from Tuesday.
In addition, since midnight Tuesday, Ecuador has suspended transportation between provinces, domestic flights and banned most cars from circulating, for 14 days.
In an address on Monday, Ecuadoran President Lenin Moreno said that according to experts, “if Ecuador doesn’t nip the problem in the bud, it could end up with over 800,000 infected people.
“We are never going to allow that, but to stop it from happening, we have to work together,” Moreno said.
Also on Tuesday, Brazil’s Health Ministry said its cases rose from 234 to 291, while Chile reported 45 new cases, bringing its total to 201.
Brazil also reported its first death case — a 62-year-old man with diabetes and hypertension.
Argentina raised its number of cases to 79, after 14 more patients tested positive, including 12 who had traveled to “risky areas” and two who had “close contact” with them.
In Colombia, the caseload rose to 65, after eight more patients tested positive, most of whom were linked to travel to Europe.
In largely Catholic Latin America, upcoming Holy Week celebrations, including special church masses and processions, are being cancelled as communities avoid mass gatherings. — NNN-XINHUA
