- Title: Panic buying grips Venezuela after Caracas confirms two coronavirus cases
- Date: 13th March 2020
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (MARCH 13, 2020) (REUTERS) PEOPLE QUEUE OUTSIDE PHARMACY VARIOUS, PEOPLE WEARING FACE MASKS PEOPLE QUEUE OUTSIDE PHARMACY WOMAN WEARING FACE MASK (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CARACAS RESIDENT, YUSBEL MORALES, SAYING: "Now we are queuing to buy face masks, alcohol, everything that is needed and then going to our house. The government has suspended classes, a suspension of everything. We are preparing (ourselves)." PEOPLE QUEUE OUTSIDE PHARMACY PEOPLE QUEUE INSIDE PHARMACY PHARMACY WORKERS WEARING FACE MASKS PEOPLE QUEUE OUTSIDE PHARMACY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CARACAS RESIDENT, ARMANDO CONTRERAS, SAYING: "One measure by which we are being a little affected is that the masks are not available. I think the government should have foreseen this and delivered them out or set up points where the masks can be got at a modest price, because now there is another problem with the sale of masks. They are scarce and I believe that the government should take precautionary measures. " VARIOUS OF SALESPERSON WEARING FACE MASK PEOPLE WALKING IN CARACAS' STREETS VARIOUS, PEOPLE WALKING AND WEARING FACE MASKS
- Embargoed: 27th March 2020 23:39
- Keywords: Caracas Venezuela coronavirus health panic buying
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C4W1BGN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Venezuelan shoppers flocked to pharmacies in search of hygiene products such as alcohol to sanitize hands after the country confirmed its first two coronavirus cases on Friday (March 13).
In Venezuela, hospitals suffer from chronic shortages of medicine and supplies, as well as frequent lapses in electricity and running water. Citizens told Reuters that the government should have been better prepared for the uptake in demand.
Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said in a televised statement that two coronavirus cases were from people who had arrived from Spain. The pair have been placed in quarantine.
Schools will be closed as of Monday (March 16) and citizens seeking to use Caracas' metro will need to wear face masks, she added.
Critics blame the decay of public services in Venezuela on mismanagement from the administration of President Nicolas Maduro.
Maduro says his government has been hindered in fighting the virus because U.S. sanctions. He accuses Washington of seeking to force him from office with the measures.
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