Countries across Central America have taken drastic steps to brace for a potential public health crisis from coronavirus even as the region has confirmed a number of cases.
Leaders and experts worry the countries are doubly vulnerable because of weak, resource-stripped healthcare systems, leading them to take extreme preventive measures.
These decisions could affect the health of millions of citizens and the already struggling economies of small countries that get a boost from tourism dollars.
Mexico is considering imposing travel restrictions on its northern border with the US to prevent coronavirus from spreading south into the Latin American country.
“If it were technically necessary to consider mechanisms of restriction or stronger surveillance, we would have to take into account not that Mexico would bring the virus to the United States, rather that the United States could bring it here,” Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said in a press conference.
Mexico currently has 26 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
Puerto Rico has announced its first cases of coronavirus. Three cases have been confirmed in the US territory, Governor Wanda Vazquez said.
Guatemala is blocking arrivals from the US and Canada after the country confirmed its first case of coronavirus.
Chile has banned public events with more than 500 people.
Bolivia has reported seven locally transmitted cases of COVID-19, bringing the national total to 10, including three cases linked to travel.
Panama’s Health Minister Rosario Turner on Friday said the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Central American country has risen to 36, and includes three foreigners.
A day earlier, Panama said it had 27 coronavirus cases.
