Colombian President Ivan Duque announced Monday the extension for two weeks, up to and including April 26, of the containment order to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, which has infected 1,579 people in the country, 46 of whom have died. "We have made the decision to maintain mandatory administrative segregation until April 26 at 11:59 pm , " said the head of state on his Twitter account.
The containment of the population of this country of some 48 million inhabitants was initially decreed from March 25 to April 12 inclusive, Bogota and other major cities already been since March 20. "As long as a vaccine has not been developed, (the virus) remains present and our challenge as a country, as a society, will be to be able to adapt," added Ivan Duque in an address since presidential palace Casa Nariño in Bogota. These 14 additional days of confinement, which correspond to a cycle of "contagion of the virus" , will allow the government to assess the progress of the epidemic, argued the Minister of Health, Fernando Ruiz, who spoke alongside the president.
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People over the age of 70 are already confined until May 30, said the head of state, who was also accompanied by the representative of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Ginna Tambini. "Many countries have not taken action before and have paid dearly (...) There are others who have anticipated and succeeded in smoothing the curve" of contagion, argued Ivan Duque.
In Colombia, residents can only go out to get supplies and in case of force majeure, or if they work in the health, food, finance, public services or media sectors, among others. They must also wear a mask in public transport, taxis, to do their shopping or go to the bank.
The country, which has declared a state of emergency, has also closed its borders, ordered the closure of public educational establishments, as well as bars and discotheques, and launched economic aid measures for an amount equivalent to about $ 15 billion.
Colombia is one of the most unequal countries on the American continent, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), with an informal economy affecting 47% of the working population.