BUENOS AIRES (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2021) Paraguay has decided to introduce coronavirus-linked strict restrictions on movement on the threshold of the Catholic Easter, Cabinet chief Hernan Huttemann said.
"All people of the republic will have to remain at home and will be able to leave their houses to buy food products, medicines and cleaning tools," Huttemann said at a press conference on late Wednesday.
People will be allowed to leave home between 5:00 a.m. (08:00 GMT) and 8:00 p.m.
The restrictions will enter into force on Saturday and last until April 4 when the Catholic Easter is celebrated.
The Health Ministry, in turn, said that the epidemiological situation in the country was critical as hospitals are almost full.� �
Health Minister Julio Borba said that the Brazilian strain of the coronavirus had been detected in Paraguay.
"This morning, we have got confirmation ... that the P1 strain from Brazil is already circulating in the country. We have confirmed two cases," the minister said.
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020. To date, more than 124.55 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 2.73 million fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Paraguay has confirmed about 200,000 COVID-19 cases so far, with more than 3,800 fatalities.
