Venezuela orders 'social quarantine' in response to coronavirus
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS MARCH 15, 2020 / 6:01 PM / UPDATED 41 MINUTES AGO
Venezuela orders 'social quarantine' in response to coronavirus
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday ordered businesses to close and citizens to remain in their homes in a social quarantine affecting six states and the capital, Caracas, starting on Monday to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Venezuela has confirmed 17 cases of the virus and no deaths, but the decay of its public health system after years of economic crisis has raised alarm about whether Maduros government is in a position to control its spread.
At five in the morning, we will enter social quarantine, Maduro said in televised comments.
Saying there is no other option, Maduro added: We either go into quarantine, or the pandemic could brutally and tragically bring down our country.
Authorities will allow exceptions to the quarantine to allow for the functioning of transport, health and food delivery services, he said.
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