Argentina curtails leisure, public transport use after hitting new COVID-19 record

[peppertree]

Argentina tightened movement restrictions on Wednesday including curtailing the leisure industry and blocking nonessential workers from using public transport after the country hit a record number of COVID-19 infections as it struggles with a second wave of the virus.

President Alberto Fernández announced a curfew between midnight and 6 a.m., the closure of bars and restaurants at 11 p.m. and the suspension of operations for casinos, bingo halls and nightclubs in areas of the country with the highest infection rates.

Sports in enclosed spaces with the participation of more than 10 people were also banned and in the Greater Buenos Aires area, where cases have increased 53% in a week, all but essential workers along with teachers and those with special authorisation are prohibited from using public transport.

Fernandez, 62, who recently disclosed he had asymptomatic COVID-19, said he was seeking to strike a balance between protecting the health and the economic wellbeing of Argentines. He vowed to keep schools open “as much as possible.”

Daily cases have soared in Argentina from around 7,000 just two weeks ago, to a record 24,130 yesterday. The country has registered 2.5 million cases and 57,350 deaths thus far.

At: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-argentina/argentina-curtails-leisure-public-transport-use-after-hitting-new-covid-19-record-idUSKBN2BU3KI