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HEALTH-VIRUS-ELSALVADOR
El Salvador declares state of emergency over coronavirus
SAN SALVADOR, March 15, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – El Salvador’s congress has
declared a state of emergency and approved a partial suspension of the
country’s constitution to tackle the coronavirus epidemic.
The measures include a restriction on free movement and assembly for a
period of 30 days, allowing health officials to ban public gatherings. “We
have given the government legal mechanisms to deal with this serious health
situation,” congressional president Mario Ponce said after Saturday’s vote.
El Salvador has yet to record a confirmed case of the COVID-19 outbreak.
On Wednesday the country banned entry to all foreigners for three weeks and
imposed mandatory 30-day quarantines for citizens returning from abroad.
President Nayib Bukele also suspended school and university classes
nationwide.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1207 hrs