Operator News
Argentina – Gambling venues shut up shop in Buenos Aires
By Phil - 17 March 2020
Buenos Aires Minister of Health, Fernán Quirós, has announced that the closing of casinos and racetracks in the city of Buenos Aires will be ordered, as a preventive measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the region. “Although some may not like this situation, they are measures that we have to take,”Quirós explained at a press conference.
Among the new measures announced by the city government after the coronavirus was classified as a pandemic is the ban on all events for 40 or more people. The measure will also cover nightclubs.
According to data from the Buenos Aires government, so far there are 12 confirmed cases in the city of Buenos Aires, and about 140 people who were in close contact with those infected were being looked into.
In dialogue with radio La Red, Quirós stressed the importance of “the community committing to change their way of living and doing things.” However according to local press casinos in the city are so far operating as usual.
Governor Axel Kicillof has also decided to close bingos and casinos in the Province of Buenos Aires as a preventive measure to stop the coronavirus.
The central government issued a decree last week saying that the granting of visas would be immediately suspended for foreigners from a number of nations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Argentina, along with Colombia and Peru, said that travellers from China, Italy, Spain and France would be isolated on arrival. The government also announced a two-week isolation period for people arriving from Japan, South Korea and the United States. Since then the government has announced further measures to combat the epidemic. Argentina will close its borders for 15 days to non-residents in order to combat the spread of coronavirus, President Alberto Fernandez said on Sunday. Public and private school classes will also be suspended until March 31.
