A vendor wearing a face mask sells vegetables and fruits at a market in Bogota, Colombia, March 18, 2020. As of Friday noon, six new cases raised the total number of COVID-19 to 108 in Colombia, and all six were people who recently returned from Spain, according to the Health Ministry. (Photo by Jhon Paz/Xinhua)
MEXICO CITY, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Argentine dailies banded together on Thursday to deliver a simple message: social distancing works to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus proliferating in Latin America.
Leading dailies, including Clarin and La Nacion, dedicated their print and online front pages to addressing the health emergency, with such slogans as "Together we can stop the virus" and "Let's make responsibility go viral."
They published recommendations, including "Let's be responsible and stay at home, except in cases of force majeure. This is not a vacation."
Many Argentines reportedly took advantage of the time off from work to hit the beach, a scenario that negated the objective of self-isolating to minimize contact with others.
"Given the global spread of the pandemic and the impact it is having on our country, the media combined their voices and actions" to jointly express "the need for everyone to commit to containing the virus and caring for people," said the Association of Argentine News Entities.
Argentina had 128 confirmed cases of the disease, including 3 fatalities. Brazilian health officials said the country's caseload rose from 428 to 621, with 6 fatalities.
The majority of cases in Brazil were concentrated in the southeast, home to the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro with 391 recorded cases.
However, Brazilian Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said the epidemic was taking place on a "much more national than regional, characteristic" scale.
The Brazilian public health system's laboratories have been preparing to carry out 30,000 to 40,000 tests a month, he said.
Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra said the number of cases climbed to 234 nationwide, with 19 of the infected needing hospitalization. The country's first COVID-19 death was also reported.
"We see there has been a significant increase compared to the day before, but don't worry because this rise in the curve was expected, because when the first cases arrived from abroad, they had no symptoms and began to circulate," Vizcarra told a press conference.
Hundreds of Peruvians have been arrested for breaking the curfew imposed on Wednesday, which restricts movement from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., he said.
"I have been informed by the interior minister (Carlos Moran) that 462 people have been arrested for violating this mandatory restriction. This is not a game. You have to comply and authorities are going to enforce this regulation," said Vizcarra.
Venezuela reported six new cases, bringing its total to 42.
All the new cases were linked "to the trips that the first patients made from Spain to Venezuela or from Cucuta (Colombia)," said Communications and Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez.
With early detection and measures to promote social distancing, which went into effect on Monday, Venezuela can stay "two steps ahead of the virus," and head off a widespread epidemic, said Rodriguez.
In Colombia, six new cases raised the total to 108, and all six were people who recently returned from Spain, according to the Health Ministry.
The development led Colombian President Ivan Duque to announce a 30-day ban on all travelers coming from abroad, including nationals, starting from March 23.
Ecuador saw the number of infected people rise to 260, including four fatalities. The vast majority of those tested positive have been told to isolate themselves at home, while a small number have been treated at hospital.
"The only thing that is good for us right now is to stay at home," said Alexandra Ocles, head of the National Risk Management Service.
Ecuadorian police arrested 250 people on the second night of the curfew for failing to stay at home, said Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo.
The large majority of those arrested were in Guayaquil, capital of Guayas province, which is also an industrial center and the country's most populous city.
Guayas, where most of Ecuador's infected reside, saw its curfew hours prolonged to the current between 4 p.m. to 5 a.m., compared with the previous between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Chilean Health Minister Jaime Manalich said the number of confirmed infections rose to 342, after 103 new cases were detected.
The caseload has been doubling every three days "as we anticipated," he said.
Most of the Chilean patients are between the age of 30 and 65, and 19 have required hospitalization, with six of those on a ventilator. No children were reported among the patients.
So far, Costa Rica has reported 87 cases of infection, Bolivia 15 and Honduras 12.
