Brazil closes nearly all land borders for 15 days

Brazil on Thursday announced it was closing its land borders for 15 days to nearly all its neighbours to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

A ministerial decree said it was blocking entry "by road or land" from all neighbouring countries, with the exception of Uruguay to the south.

It shut its border with Venezuela on Tuesday. 

Other South American countries, such as Colombia, Chile and Argentina, have taken more drastic measures in recent days, completely closing their land, sea and air borders.

Senior Brazilian officials, such as the Chamber of Deputies speaker Rodrigo Maia, had called for a total border shutdown.

The decree, which comes into immediate effect, prohibits entry to foreigners from Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, French Guyana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru and Suriname."

The restrictions do not apply to Brazilian nationals or to foreigners residing in the country.

Trucks carrying goods and people on humanitarian missions are allowed to continue to enter Brazil.

Brazil said a separate decree would be issued later about the border with Uruguay.

Latin America's largest country, with a population of 210 million, has so far registered 428 cases of the coronavirus, with four deaths.

– AFP