Criris-striken Venezuela reports first Covid19 case

Caracas: Venezuela confirmed its first two cases of the coronavirus Friday, deepening anxiety in a crisis-stricken nation where many hospitals lack basics such as water and soap and struggle to treat even basic ailments.

The announcement prompted President Iván Duque of neighboring Colombia to order his nation’s border with Venezuela closed as a coronavirus containment measure.

Earlier Friday, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez delivered the news that Venezuelans feared was coming: A 52-year-old man who had recently traveled from Spain and a 41-year-old woman who had returned from a trip through the U.S., Italy and Spain had been diagnosed with the virus.

Schools across Venezuela immediately closed, a day after President Nicolás Maduro suspended flights with Europe and Colombia in an attempt to ward off the illness.