YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. The government of Argentina made a decision to close the country’s borders to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), TASS news agency reports.

“Apply the restriction on ports, airports, land borders, Argentina’s residents and Argentineans living abroad. These restrictions will remain into force until March 31”, the government’s decree said.

The close borders do not relate to the external trade.

The first case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Argentina on March 3. According to the latest data, the number of confirmed cases has reached 589. 12 death cases have been reported so far. On March 20 Argentina declared a mandatory quarantine.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global pandemic and named the virus COVID-19. Cases of coronavirus have been reported in over 195 countries. Number of confirmed cases globally is more than 532,000. Over 24,000 people have died, 124,000 patients have recovered.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan