The COVID-19 pandemic in Paraguay is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to Paraguay on 7 March 2020 in a 32-year-old man from Guayaquil, Ecuador, living in San Lorenzo, Central department.
On 10 March, the Paraguayan government suspended classes and all activities that involve groups of people, as well as public and private events, with the goal of avoiding the spread of the virus, in accordance with Decree no. 3442/2020. Other preventive measures have been adopted as time has gone by, such as restrictions on commerce and movement, suspension of flights, closure of borders, restricting entry of foreigners, curfews, and strengthening controls to ensure compliance with the measures.From May 4, Paraguay implemented the so-called “Intelligent/Smart” Quarantine, a gradual return to work and social activities with social distancing and hygiene measures. However, the government decided to maintain the closure of borders, implement distance education in classes, and the night-time curfew indefinitely.
9 Jun: The Paraguayan government has announced the total closure of the city of San Roque González de Santa Cruz for a period of 15 days, starting on 9 June, and the city will return to the total lockdown phase.15 Jun: Starts the Phase 3 of the “Smart/Intelligent” Quarantine, with the exception of the Paraguarí and Concepción Departments, which will remain in Phase 2, with the local government controlling circulation at main access points to those Departments for 14 days..Due to the increase in cases, the department of Alto Paraná returned to lockdown on July 29 for two weeks, with some authorizations of Phase 1 and commerce enabled between 5:00am to 5:00pm. 3 September: Quarantine extended until September 20.
Other preventive measures have been adopted as time has gone by, such as restrictions on commerce and movement, suspends flights, closure of borders, restricting entry of foreigners, curfews, and strengthening controls to ensure compliance with the measures.On 20 March 2020, the first death and the first case of community transmission were confirmed. The government declared a total quarantine (lockdown) until 3 May, with free movement restricted completely. Public movement was restricted to buying food, medicine and other essential items.The city of San Roque González de Santacruz (department of Paraguarí) returned to lockdown on June 9 through June 24, due to the uncontrolled increase in the number of contaminations.
On 20 March 2020, the first death and the first case of community transmission were confirmed. The government declared a total quarantine (lockdown) until 3 May, with free movement restricted completely. Public movement was restricted to buying food, medicine and other essential items.The city of San Roque González de Santacruz (department of Paraguarí) returned to lockdown on June 9 through June 24, due to the uncontrolled increase in the number of contaminations.However, The government decided to maintain the closure of borders, implement distance education classes, and the night-time curfew indefinitely.
Due to the increase in cases, the department of Alto Paraná returned to lockdown on July 29 for three weeks, with some authorizations of Phase 1 and commerce enabled between 5:00am to 5:00pm (called Phase 0,5). On August 24, the lockdown extended through September 20 in Alto Paraná department, with some relataxions, for example, the commerce enabled until 8pm. Since September 21, this department enter a Social Quarantine. On September 13, Caaguazú department and Concepción department enter a Social Quarantine.
Paraguay’s economy will contract 2.5% until 5% in 2020 due to the halt in economic activities brought on by social isolation measures to contain the coronavirus. The projection is a stark turnaround from the Central Bank of Paraguay in December 2019 estimate of 4.1% growth in the year. The bank’s new estimate also goes further than the International Monetary Fund, which projected in mid-April a contraction of 1.0%.But the government of President Mario Abdo Benítez has been heavily criticised for failing to support people left without income during the total quarantine. Sixty-five per cent of Paraguay’s workers earn their living in the informal economy and have no access to benefits during the coronavirus crisis.
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