Argentina announced new coronavirus restrictions Wednesday following an increase in cases in recent weeks.
In a recorded message, President Alberto Fernandez spoke from the Presidential Residence in Olivos, a suburb of the capital Buenos Aires.
"Every effort we have made seems insufficient. I decided to take a series of urgent measures to continue ensuring that vaccination is not stopped and that the health system is not saturated," he said.
Fernandez said the main area of infections has been the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, which is why they are implementing tighter restrictions.
Travel and the circulation of people in the area will be restricted from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and only essential workers will be permitted to travel between these hours.
All measures will be enforced for 15 days from April 16 to April 30.
Attendance at school has been suspended and will have to take place online from April 19 to April 30.
A range of indoor activities are also affected. Social gatherings, cultural activities, recreational activities and religious activities indoors will be suspended for 15 days.
All commercial activities must take place between 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Restaurants, cafes and bars must close, and only delivery is permitted after 7 p.m.
President Fernandez announced that federal forces will oversee these new restrictions.
According to local reports, Argentina's other provinces will be able to decide whether or not to follow the new restrictions.
Argentina, with a population of over 45 million, has registered more than 2.6 million coronavirus infections, 58,542 deaths and over 2.27 million recoveries, according to data from US-based Johns Hopkins University.
