By Matilde Mereghetti
Peruvian vessels are continuing to supply domestic demand for seafood, an official told Undercurrent News, even as Latin American countries are implementing aggressive measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
Dozens of processing plants and more than 3,000 artisanal fishing vessels in Peru are working to supply the country's population with canned and frozen fish, according to Alfonso Miranda Eyzaguirre, the president of Peru's chamber of tuna, which is known in Spanish as the Camara Peruana de Atun. The country's factories have been working and processing mainly tuna, squid, mahi mahi and anchovy, he said (see video).
"Fish is the best protein in the world that can be consumed and, at the same time, strengthens the immune system, helping to fight coronavirus," Miranda also said.
Peruvian president Martin Vizcarra announced a state of emergency for Peru last week, introducing strict quarantine requirements and a curfew between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.
The Peruvian health system is "fragile" compared to its European counterparts, with less hospital space and intensive care units, Miranda told Undercurrent.
"We must recognize that the government is working 24 hours to face this crisis," he added.
Medical professionals warn that the speed and breadth of the pandemic in Latin America could be unlike anything seen so far in Asia or Europe because Latin America isn’t at all prepared, Bloomberg reported.
Latin America's major airlines sharply curtailed international flights last week because of the coronavirus outbreak. The bans by Panama and Colombia came after Peru, Argentina, and Chile, among others, severely curtailed flights.