After watching the emerging coronavirus outbreaks in China Spreading to Europe, Uruguay recorded its first 4 cases on Friday, March 13th, a seemingly disastrous start to a disease that later spread throughout Latin America.
In the weeks and months after the diagnosis of 4 travelers from Europe on March 13, the country with a population of 3.4 million people put the virus under control.
Despite being besieged between Brazil, which suffers from the second worst disease outbreak in the world, and Argentina, which is increasing in cases, Uruguay has recorded only 1046 cases and 33 deaths, which is an exceptionally low rate for a country in Latin America where Corona tests are being conducted on wide range.
Last June, Uruguay became the first country in the region to reopen almost all public schools, and it is the only country in Latin America from which the European Union will accept visitors.
Officials and analysts credit the country’s success to stable and unified leadership, a strong national health system, and widespread voluntary closures.
“People have been asked to enjoy their liberty in a responsible way by staying in their homes,” said Henry Cohen, a famous doctor in Montevideo, who serves on a committee of scientists advising the government during the epidemic.
Cohen explained that “the country’s leaders and public health officials monitored the development of the epidemic in Asia and Europe and had time to prepare, politicians set aside their differences and raised scientists from the level of the country’s response, which helped build public confidence.”
Nearby Paraguay has had similar success in the fight against the coronavirus, with 3,748 cases and 33 deaths reported.
In contrast, neighboring Brazil recorded more than two million cases and 80 thousand deaths, which is the second in the number of injuries and deaths after the United States.
Argentina, with the lowest population density, recorded 5 times the number of cases that appeared in Paraguay relative to the number of individuals, and 8 times the number of cases in Uruguay.
Guillermo Sequeira, director of health monitoring at the Paraguayan Ministry of Public Health, says that the common factor in countries that have succeeded in fighting the coronavirus is early and strong action and a focus on earning and maintaining people’s trust.
Uruguayan President Luis Lacale Bo got his position two weeks before the country confirmed the first cases of Corona, closed borders, schools and public spaces, and urged citizens to quarantine.
Uruguay has imposed on its population aged 65 and over its quarantine.
“From March 13 to the end of April, politicians in Uruguay will solidify,” said Daniel Chaasketti, a political scientist and professor at the University of Republica.
The country began to lift restrictions on closures cautiously, and although the borders are still closed to almost all foreigners, the government has allowed bars, restaurants and hotels to resume operations, guided by rigorous testing.
Veteran TV anchor Blanca Rodriguez said: “I noticed that people have a sense of calmness, serenity, safety and confidence, and they don’t want to lose that.”
A group of cases in the city of Rivera on the Brazilian border and another in the capital, Montevideo, reminded Uruguayans to remain vigilant.
He explained, “As in football, the match is not over yet, and the struggle continues, we play well and we can win, but we cannot forget the precautions that we need to take.”
Paraguay began lifting restrictions on closures, and warned Siqueira of fatigue from social estrangement, and the country witnessed a hotbed of disease at a prison in Ciudad del Este, on the border with Brazil.
He said: “Things are getting more difficult, if we look at the latest statistics, the number of cases is increasing, it is a steady growth, not explosive growth.”
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