Venezuela Initiates Social Quarantine to Contain COVID-19

A social quarantine began in Venezuela on Monday in seven states to contain the spread of the new coronavirus in the country, Bolivarian Republic's authorities said.

"From 5 a.m. local time, school and work activities were suspended in the states of La Guaira, Miranda, Cojedes, Zulia, Apure, and Táchira, as well as in the Capital District, where Caracas is located," Vice President Delcy Rodríguez reported.

Food distribution services, transportation, pharmacies, and police and military services will remain in place, Rodriguez added at a press conference.

To comply with this measure, residents of these territories will only be able to leave their homes to buy food.

"This is how the streets of Caracas, Venezuela, dawn after the presidential decree of social quarantine, as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus."
 
The quarantine was decided at the right time to avoid further spread of the virus, the Vice President concluded.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro Moros stressed on Sunday that the country is not in a serious phase. "But we assess that the only way to stop the spread of COVID-19 is through collective quarantine."

The quarantine decreed by President Maduro is supported by the country's health authorities and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said at a press conference on Sunday.

The number of COVID-19 infections in Venezuela amounts to 17, while 160,000 people have been reported infected and more than 5,000 have died worldwide.