Argentina: Buenos Aires extends lockdown until June 7 as COVID-19 cases surge

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, Argentina has decided to extend the mandatory lockdown in Buenos Aires till June 7. According to reports, the announcement was made on May 23, the city will also have certain movement restrictions tightened after the city experienced a steady increase in positive coronavirus cases.

Stricter restrictions in Buenos Aires

As per reports, officials will tighten traffic controls between the capital and Buenos Aires province, the region with the second-highest number of cases in the country. President Alberto Fernandez in a televised press conference said that commercial activity in some of the city’s most populated neighbourhoods and access to public transportation will be rolled back in an effort to contain the virus.

The lockdown in Argentina was due to end on May 24, the restrictions have been in place since March 20. Even prior to the end of the lockdown many areas of the country saw restrictions eased. As per reports, Argentina has banned commercial flights till September 1, this is some of the strictest travel measures adopted by any country during the course of the pandemic.

Read: Argentina Defaults On Bond Payments, Continues Debt Talks

Read: Diego Maradona Prefers Cristiano Ronaldo Over Lionel Messi As A Leader For Argentina

As per reports, the country recorded 704 new coronavirus restrictions on May 23 which was one of the highest single-day increases in virus cases for Argentina since the pandemic began. Argentina has reported a total of 11,353 positive coronavirus cases and has a death toll of 445. Most of the cases are concentrated in Buenos Aires and the low-income neighbourhoods have been particularly hard hit. The virus outbreak in Argentina is severely outpaced by its neighbours in terms of infections and deaths, Brazil currently has the world’s second-highest number of positive case with 347,398 positive cases and a death toll of 22,013.

Read: Lionel Messi's Dream Return To Newell's Old Boys Off Due To Security Fears In Argentina

Read: How Lionel Messi Escaped Death In A Brutal Introduction To Football In Argentina