Peru to enter nationwide lockdown during Easter

Peru will enter a total lockdown starting today through Easter Sunday to try curb the spread of the pandemic, the Peruvian government announced Wednesday.

The total lockdown includes a 24-hour curfew, ban on the use of private vehicles, and only one person per household is allowed to leave home for essential shopping, according to a statement from the Peruvian Council of Ministers.

Domestic flights and inter-city public transport will also stop, the statement read.

The announcement comes as Peru is experiencing a resurgence in Covid-19 cases just days ahead of the first round of presidential elections, scheduled for April 11. 

Peru has reported at least 1,533,121 Covid-19 cases and at least 51,635 Covid-related deaths.