- Title: Argentina tightens Buenos Aires lockdown as coronavirus cases surge
- Date: 26th June 2020
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (JUNE 26, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TRANSIT OFFICERS CHECKING VEHICLES ON THE ROAD POLICE OFFICER ON DUTY TRANSIT OFFICER CHECKING TRANSIT DOCUMENTATION OF DRIVER TRAIN PULLING UP AT METRO STATION, PERSON IN PROTECTIVE GEAR WAITING TO DISINFECT TRAIN PEOPLE GETTING OFF TRAIN VARIOUS OF PERSON IN PROTECTIVE GEAR DISINFECTING EMPTY TRAIN CARRIAGE
- Embargoed: 11th July 2020 00:08
- Keywords: Argentina Buenos Aires President Alberto Fernandez lockdown quarantine
- Location: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- City: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CK0DGEF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Argentina will extend and tighten a lockdown in and around Buenos Aires following a sharp rise in cases of the novel coronavirus in recent weeks, President Alberto Fernandez said on Friday (June 26).
The South American country has done better than regional neighbours Brazil, Chile and Peru in controlling the pandemic overall. But it has seen a worrying recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the densely populated Argentine capital and surrounding Buenos Aires province.
Overall cases in the country have risen fivefold since late May, hitting over 50,000 on Thursday (June 25) when there were 2,606 new confirmed daily cases. The death toll stands at over 1,150.
Fernandez said restrictions on movement in Buenos Aires that had previously eased would be tightened again next week due to the rise in infections. Lockdown measures were initially imposed on March 20 and previously extended until June 28.
Fernandez said the new tougher measures in Buenos Aires would last until July 17.
Fernandez urged people not to get angry at the lockdown, but rather at the disease, as he looked to head off discontent over the economic impact the health crisis has had on businesses, with forecasts of a near 10% economic contraction this year.
(Production: Miguel Lo Bianco, Horacio Soria, Claudia Martini, Paul Vieira) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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