El Salvador declares state of emergency over coronavirus concerns

SAN SALVADOR, March 15 (NNN-Xinhua) — El Salvador’s congress has declared a state of emergency and approved a raft of emergency measures aimed at containing the spread of novel coronavirus.

The measures restrict entry to and exit from the Cental American country for 30 days and allow the authorities to ban public gatherings.

Schools have been suspended across the country over coronavirus concerns.

The congress has given the government legal mechanisms to cope with the grave situation, congressional president Mario Ponce said after Saturday’s vote.

El Salvador has not reported a single confirmed case of coronavirus to date.