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A28 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 7 april 2020
Desperate hunt for food by Peru's poor amid virus quarantine

By FRANKLIN BRICENO older adults and people
Associated Press with existing health prob-
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Push- lems, it can cause more se-
ing a shopping cart with vere illness, including pneu-
two children, César Alegre monia and death.
emerges from the large, As of Monday, Peru had
deteriorated house near 2,561 confirmed coronavi-
Peru's presidential palace rus cases, with 92 deaths,
that is shared by 45 families The government has steadi-
to search for food. Some- ly tightened bans and lock-
times he begs in markets. downs to slow the spread
Sometimes he sells candies. of the virus. This past week it
It is a task that was hard at ordered that only men can
the best of times, but with leave the house on Mon-
a month-long quarantine days, Wednesdays and
that has forced 32 million Fridays, while only women
Peruvians to stay home can go out on Tuesdays,
and closed restaurants and Thursdays and Saturdays.
food kitchens, it has be- The trips can only be to the
come much harder. market, pharmacy or bank.
"We eat once or twice a To try to address the hu-
day," said the 52-year-old, manitarian disaster, Peru
who says he has spent time has begun distributing
in six different prisons for In this March 19, 2020 photo, Nilu Asca and her 2-year-old daughter Darleth, who wears a spica cast about $400 million to feed
theft. Many among the 100 to treat hip dysplasia, sleep inside their small room inside a building nicknamed “Luriganchito,” 12 million poor people for
after the country’s most populous prison, in Lima, Peru. The 24-year-old single mother spends her
or so residents of the three- days begging to provide for her two children and raise the 10 soles, about three U.S. dollars, for one month. But the money
story house are ex-convicts her daily lodging expense. doesn't seem to be reach-
who can't find work. The old Associated Press. ing most of the families in
building is opposite Lima's them as much food, if any dor said two weeks ago a say a looming recession Alegre's sprawling shared
San Lazaro church, which at all, because their sales young man from the build- worse than any since World house. The building in Li-
was founded in 1650 as a have fallen amid the pan- ing stole a bag of fish. War II could push the con- ma's Rimac district is a rel-
hospital for refugees from a demic and strict measures Besides begging in markets, tinent's long-suffering poor ic from the area's historic
leprosy outbreak. that have kept people at Alegre also sells candy on into even more dire circum- era and still has balconies
Alegre and his children, home and shuttered the buses. Nowadays, passen- stances. from its better days. But in-
accompanied by a hand- restaurants that would buy gers wear face masks and "The economic impact of side its now-cracked walls
ful of neighbors, normally their goods. "They're va- don't like strangers coming what is happening is un- is a warren of narrow, dark
start out by walking about grants," said a meat ven- near them. precedented," said Peru's passageways that smell of
2 miles (3 kilometers) to dor of the inhabitants of "The virus has highlighted economy minister, María damp clothing and mari-
a market where they ask Alegre's building, which the selfishness that man Alva. juana. Children run through
for food. The merchants has earned the nickname carries inside," he said. For most people, the new them barefoot as cock-
give them potatoes, meat "Luriganchito," or "Little The pandemic has spot- coronavirus causes mild or roaches scatter to avoid
bones and overripe fruit Lurigancho," after Peru's lighted the wide gap be- moderate symptoms, such being crushed.
that nobody wants to buy. most-populous prison, for tween rich and poor in as fever and cough that Its residents have stories
But these days the mer- the number or ex-convicts Peru and elsewhere in Latin clear up in two to three of hard luck and tough
chants are refusing to give who reside there. The ven- America, and economists weeks. For some, especially living.q
Israeli leader announces lockdown over Passover holiday

By ILAN BEN ZION ment to help slow the out- will not be allowed to leave
Associated Press break, allowing people to their homes.
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli leave their homes to buy Netanyahu said similar
Prime Minister Benjamin food or other essential ac- travel restrictions would be
Netanyahu announced on tivities. In a nationally tele- in place for the upcoming
Monday a complete lock- vised address, Netanyahu holidays of Easter and Ra-
down over the upcoming said the government was madan later in April.
Passover holiday to con- further restricting move- At the same time, he said
trol the country’s corona- ment for Passover, which “there are positive signs
virus outbreak, but offered begins Wednesday eve- on the horizon” and that
citizens some hope by say- ning with a festive meal preparations were already
ing he expects to lift wide- known as the “Seder.” underway for a possible
spread restrictions after the “Every family will sit down easing of movement re-
week-long festival. for Seder night on its own. strictions after Passover.
Netanyahu’s announce- Celebrate only with the For most people, the virus
ment came as leaders immediate family that’s at causes mild to moderate An ultra-Orthodox Jew wears an improvised protective face
of the Coptic Orthodox home with you now,” he symptoms such as fever mask as he pulls a supermarket cart on a mainly deserted street
Church in neighboring said. and cough. But for some, because of the government's measures to help stop the spread
Egypt said they were sus- Beginning Tuesday after- especially older adults and of the coronavirus, in Bnei Brak, a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel,
pending Easter celebra- noon, Israel will ban move- the infirm, it can cause Friday, April 3, 2020. Associated Press.
tions because of the coro- ment between cities. From pneumonia and even lead
navirus. Israel has already Wednesday evening until to death. said it was suspending Eas- tions at churches later this
greatly restricted move- Thursday morning, Israelis In Egypt, the Coptic church ter prayers and celebra- month.q