Bolivian Authorities To Put Another Big City On Lockdown Due To COVID-19 Outbreak

BUENOS AIRES (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th June, 2020) The Bolivian authorities will close down the northern city of Cobija with a population of more than 50,000 on Monday due to the coronavirus outbreak, Luis Adolfo Flores, the governor of the Pando Department, said on Thursday.

On June 1, the north-central city of Trinidad with some 100,000 residents was put on lockdown for the same reason.

"From Monday on we will close Cobija and together with the medical teams we will 'clear it up' ... I hope we will be able to contain the infection," the governor said as broadcast by the Unitel channel.

Flores noted that both Cobija and the Pando Department neighbor Brazil, with many Bolivians crossing the border in search of work, which is illegal.

"We had 12 cases in 38 days, but we knew that there would be problems because people often cross the border with Brazil, where there are many cases of infection ... Now we have 130 cases and 300 are suspected," the governor said.

The department lacks tests and facilities to cope with the pandemic. The intensive care unit has only 12 beds and six lung ventilators. Local authorities have asked for additional equipment, but it has not yet arrived.

In total, Bolivia has recorded 15,281 coronavirus cases, 2,261 recoveries and 512 fatalities.