Argentine police arrest partygoers for violating anti-COVID-19 measures

BUENOS AIRES - Argentine authorities on Sunday shut down a number of clandestine parties and detained partygoers for violating mandatory health measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two clandestine parties with over 350 participants were disbanded in the city of La Plata, southeast of Buenos Aires. Some participants were reportedly attacked police vehicles with stones.

The city has imposed fines of up to 2 million pesos (about $24,100) for those who organize clandestine parties.

Another clandestine party hosting 50 people was shut down in the city of San Pedro in Jujuy Province, with authorities seizing alcoholic beverages and arresting a number of people for violating pandemic health measures, Argentine news agency Telam reported.

Argentina has registered 1,541,285 cases and 41,813 deaths from COVID-19 as of Saturday night and the Social, Preventive, and Obligatory Distancing measures ordered by the Argentine government to control the pandemic will last until Jan 31.