Argentina on Saturday entered a phase of strict lockdown which will last until May 30 to slow the spread of COVID-19.The decision was made through a presidential decree published on Saturday in the Official Gazette, and includes the restriction of movement from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am and the suspension of all non-essential activities.

Argentina begins strict lockdown to slow spread of COVID-19

Argentina President Alberto Fernandez announced the country will enter into a lockdown for nine days amid a surge in coronavirus cases. Watch: The country recorded 435 fatalities on Thursday over 35,000 new COVID-19 cases and nearly 500 fatalities per day for the last 7 days.

'We are in a critical moment': Argentina enters lockdown amid surge in COVID-19 cases

President Alberto Fernández of Argentina tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday and was experiencing mild symptoms despite having been vaccinated earlier this year, becoming the latest in a series of world leaders who have contracted the virus.

Argentina’s President tests positive for coronavirus despite vaccination

Soon after the Wuhan virus began spreading beyond China, countries across the world started releasing prisoners to avoid a possible catastrophe but some Latin American countries refrained from freeing their inmates.

Inmates in El Salvador suffer as Latin American prisons breed COVID-19