Argentina restricts movement and gatherings for most districts due to Covid-19 crisis

Argentine President Alberto Fernández today announced restrictions on movement, in-person schooling and social gatherings for all "high-risk" districts in the country.

The measure, effective this Saturday through May 30th (plus the weekend of June 5/6th), is the strictest since the 6-week lockdown enacted on March 20, 2020, and affects all counties in which active Covid-19 cases exceed 500 per 100,000 people - which includes Buenos Aires and most provinces.

The country registered a record 205,000 cases in the past week, with active cases doubling since March to 339,000 - or 750 per 100,000.

Some 3,540 Covid-19 deaths were recorded this week - four times the weekly average for March.

"Argentina is going through the worst moment since the pandemic began," Fernández said. "I ask that this critical time be taken seriously."

The restrictions were agreed to with the nation's and 23 governors and Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta - a top opposition figure who had successfully challenged the in-person schooling suspension ordered for the Buenos Aires Metro Area (AMBA) on April 9th.

The city lost in federal court on April 20th - a decision overturned by the Supreme Court on May 4th.

The mayor, however, confirmed that in-person classes in the city will be suspended this time.

Since the 2021 Argentine school year began on March 1st (two weeks earlier for Buenos Aires), daily COVID-19 cases jumped from around 7,000 in March, to nearly 36,000 today.

Occupancy in intensive care units exceeded 72% nationwide, and 83% in Buenos Aires.

Some 63% in a recent poll backed the president's abatement measures.

At: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&u=https://www.pagina12.com.ar/342904-alberto-fernandez-estamos-viviendo-el-peor-momento-desde-que

Argentine Health Minister Carla Vizzotti, President Alberto Fernández, and other federal officials listen to La Pampa Governor Sergio Ziliotto during a virtual conference today ahead of the president's announcement.

The restrictions announced today, the strictest since a 6-week lockdown a year ago, are in response to a quadrupling in daily Covid-19 cases and deaths since March - when Argentine students returned to school.

The beginning of the school year coincided with the introduction of Andes, Manaus, and U.K. variants - which together now account for almost all new cases in Argentina.