Brazilian dailies urge unity as COVID-19 pandemic plagues LatAm

MEXICO CITY -- Brazilian dailies on Monday urged unity and social responsibility to confront the COVID-19 pandemic that is spreading across Latin America.

Newspapers banded together to deliver the same message on their front pages -- "Together we will defeat the virus: United by information and responsibility," as part of a civic-minded campaign launched by the National Newspaper Association (ANJ).

"In dramatic situations like the one we are going through, accurate and contextualized information is an even more essential asset," said Marcelo Rech, president of the ANJ.

"This measure shows the unity of Brazilian newspapers around a common cause: serving the population with quality journalism to tackle and overcome the pandemic," Rech added.

The Brazilian Health Ministry reported that the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose from 1,546 to 1,891, and the number of fatal victims climbed from 25 to 34.

In Peru, where 395 people have tested positive for COVID-19, Health Minister Victor Zamora urged the 130 members of Congress to hold sessions online, rather than gather in person, to minimize the spread.

"You can session at home and on the computer," said Zamora, calling on lawmakers to adopt the same measures of social distancing as the general public.

The government has imposed a curfew from 8 pm to 5 am till March 30 to restrict mobility of and contact among the population.

Bolivian Interior Minister Arturo Murillo warned the government could declare a state of siege and suspend constitutional guarantees unless the public complies fully with virus containment measures.

"If we need a national state of siege, we'll do it for the health of everyone," Murillo told a press conference in the eastern city of Santa Cruz, complaining that residents in some parts were flouting the call to quarantine.

Bolivia, which has 27 confirmed cases, has postponed general elections to May 3 due to the health emergency.

Its Supreme Electoral Court said Monday there was agreement among the political parties on the need to set a new date to elect a new president, vice president and 350 lawmakers.

In Cuba, the caseload has reached 40 after five new patients tested positive, including three Cubans, a French man and a Russian who both arrived from France.

Two of the newly-infected Cubans arrived from Spain, and the third had contact with four Canadian tourists who also tested positive.

Colombia reported its third fatality from the virus and an increase in the total number of COVID-19 patients from 235 to 277.

The latest fatal victim was an elderly man, 88, whose family said "he came in frequent contact with different European tourists at a cafeteria," the Health Ministry said.

Argentina tabled the economic impact of the pandemic at an online emergency meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs.

Economy Minister Martin Guzman called for greater "global coordination and cooperation efforts" to ensure social stability as the epidemic idles production and consumption, leading to job losses.

Guzman proposed governments take into account certain key principles, starting with prioritizing healthcare.

"The second principle is that we should protect those who are left in a vulnerable situation ... we must take decisive action to avoid social collapse," he said, recommending cash transfers, job protection and expanding unemployment insurance.

Meanwhile, the Argentine Health Ministry confirmed the country's first case of locally-transmitted COVID-19, and a total caseload of 266, with four fatalities.

Ecuador reported a total of 981 cases, with 18 fatalities; Panama reported 313 cases with five fatalities; Costa Rica, 158 cases with two fatalities; and the Dominican Republic, 245 cases with three deaths.