Venezuela: market closed as Covid-19 hearth closed

The state of Zulia, in western Venezuela, has closed a huge open-air market in Maracaibo, the country's second city, which the authorities consider to be the "epicenter" of the coronavirus contagion in the region. "We have decided to permanently close and until further notice (sic) " the market of Las Pulgas de Maracaibo, said Omar Prieto, governor of the state of Zulia, in a television address. According to him, the Las Pulgas food market (Fleas, in Spanish) has recently become the "epicenter of contagion" at SARS-CoV-2 in this border state of Colombia. As of Monday, added Omar Prieto, the entire market will be "disinfected" .

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Since March 17, Venezuela has been in almost total containment in an attempt to stem the spread of the virus. In theory, only outings to go to the doctor and get food are allowed. Wearing a mask is compulsory in the street and in public places. But in practice, sprains to containment have been increasing for two weeks with more and more people on the streets of the big cities of this country of 30 million inhabitants.

Confirmed cases of Covid-19 more than doubled in a week, from 541 May 17 to 1,121 Sunday, according to figures released by the government of Nicolas Maduro. The number of deaths (10) remained stable during this period. The Venezuelan opposition around Juan Guaido disputes these data. She believes that the figures are far below reality due to the lack of screening tests performed in the population.