Very little coverage has been provided in the U.S. of the spread of COVID19 in South America. We have asked SMU graduate student Gabriela Pavia de Toledo who is a citizen of Brazil to bring us up to date.

The coronavirus outbreak has been confirmed in 17 countries in Latin America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Dominic Republic, Paraguay, Venezuela, El Salvador, and Uruguay.

Following the WHO’s classification of the coronavirus outbreak as pandemic, several countries have intensified the measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Schools and public events have been cancelled across Latin America. Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica, Paraguay, and Honduras have suspended flights coming from Europe and Asia. Flights from the United States have been suspended in Argentina.

El Salvador’s authorities announced national quarantine and banned all international travels. All educational institutions have been shut down.

Argentina has 31 confirmed cases of coronavirus and two deaths. Argentina’s president Alberto Fernández signed a decree extending the state of health emergency for one year.

Peru has 22 confirmed cases and has declared health emergency for 90 days. Honduras has two confirmed cases. Bolivia has three confirmed cases. Paraguay has six confirmed cases. In Uruguay, four coronavirus cases have been confirmed. All patients had arrived from Milan, Italy.

Colombia and Panama have declared health emergency. In Colombia, there are 13 confirmed cases. Panama has 27 confirmed cases and one death. Chile has 43 confirmed cases. Ecuador has 23 confirmed cases. Guatemala has no confirmed case. Costa Rica has 23 coronavirus cases.

Cuba has confirmed three coronavirus cases. Venezuela has confirmed two cases. Venezuelan authorities suspended all flights coming from Colombia and Europe.

Mexico has confirmed 12 cases. Haiti and Nicaragua have not confirmed any case yet. Dominic Republic has five confirmed COVID-19 cases.

In Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Peru, travelers returning from countries considered epidemic centers by the WHO will be compulsorily isolated for 14 days. Violation will face jail penalty in Argentina.

Brazil is the country with more confirmed cases in Latin America. According to the Brazilian Health Ministry, 98 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed. Coronavirus contamination has been classified as “community spread” in Brazil. Despite the high rate of COVID-19 contamination, Brazilian authorities have not taken measures to contain the spread as strict as the rest of Latin America.

Sourcers:

https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil-51713943

https://g1.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2020/03/12/argentina-suspende-chegada-de-voos-dos-eua-europa-e-china-por-coronavirus.ghtml

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-colombia/colombia-declares-health-emergency-to-tackle-coronavirus-idUSKBN20Z2QX

https://www.eltiempo.com/salud/ministerio-reporta-nuevos-casos-de-coronavirus-en-colombia-472340

https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-51802906

https://www.minsal.cl/nuevo-coronavirus-2019-ncov/casos-confirmados-en-chile-covid-19/

https://brasil.elpais.com/sociedade/2020-03-12/cinco-paises-da-america-latina-impoem-restricoes-aos-viajantes-provenientes-de-paises-com-coronavirus.html

https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil-51713943

https://g1.globo.com/sp/sao-paulo/noticia/2020/03/12/numero-de-casos-confirmados-de-coronavirus-sobe-para-46-em-sao-paulo.ghtml

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/cuba-confirms-first-coronavirus-cases-tells-people-make-their-own-n1156711

https://www.salud.gob.ec/actualizacion-de-casos-de-coronavirus-en-ecuador/ https://www.elmundo.cr/costa-rica/ya-son-23-casos-confirmados-de-coronavirus-en-costa-rica/