Ecuador declares state of exception in eight provinces as COVID-19 infections spike

QUITO: Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno has declared a 30-day state of exception in eight of the country's 24 provinces, which includes a curfew, due to a spike in coronavirus infections and associated deaths.

In recent weeks, the capital Quito and the largest city Guayaquil have reported an acceleration of infections, saturation of public and private hospitals and a sizable increase in the number of daily deaths from COVID-19. "I have signed Decree 1282 declaring a State of Exception for 30 days in the provinces of Pichincha, Guayas, Manabi, Azuay, Loja, Santo Domingo, El Oro and Esmeraldas, with curfew from April 2 to 9 from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.," Moreno tweeted late on Thursday.