Brazil announced a program on Friday that will help small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the payment of wages for employees. Through the measure, the government is aiming to benefit 1.4 million companies and 12.2 million workers in the country, where 92 deaths and 3,417 cases have been reported.

The state of Sao Paulo, which has registered the highest number of cases in Brazil, has reported a slowdown in the number of new cases thanks to social distancing.

In Argentina where around 600 cases and over 10 deaths have been reported, the government allocated on Friday over 53 billion pesos (about 803 million U.S. dollars) to tackle the health emergency in the country.

The government also created an inter-ministerial working table to assist Argentines abroad who are looking to return home but are facing closed borders.

Chile has adopted a "progressive quarantine" to help control the spread of the disease in the country, where 1,610 cases and five deaths have been registered.

"We are evaluating each case on its merit, taking the life and health of Chileans and their supply of essential goods and services, such as food, electricity, water, telecommunications, as a priority in each decision," said Chilean President Sebastian Pinera.

The government has closed borders and even isolated some areas, installed sanitary cordons, and imposed a national curfew from 22:00 (1900 GMT) until 05:00 (0200 GMT) next morning every day.

The department of La Paz in western Bolivia has declared a total quarantine to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, which has so far infected 61 people in the country.

In Ecuador, the government announced new restrictions on vehicular circulation that will take effect on Saturday, excluding those vehicles supplying food, medicine, and fuel.

Alexandra Ocles, director of the National Risk Management Service, said the measure aims to curb the spread of COVID-19, which so far has left 41 dead and 1,627 ill.

In Costa Rica, Minister of Health Daniel Salas insisted on the need for everyone to "stay at home", since the number of infections has not reached the peak in the country yet.

So far, Costa Rica has reported 263 infections and two deaths related to COVID-19 and has implemented measures such as restricting nighttime vehicular traffic, encouraging working from home, cancelling of large events,and suspending classes for the remainder of the academic year.

Peruvian health authorities announced on Friday 55 new cases of coronavirus, increasing the number of infections from 580 to 635, which has led the government to insist on social distancing and to impose a curfew to prevent the spread of the virus.

Colombia reported the number of the country's confirmed cases had escalated from 491 to 539, after which President Ivan Duque declared that the national quarantine will not end on April 14 as planned, but will instead last several months.

He said that citizens must start "to change many habits," adding that economic recovery will depend on "how we adapt to those habits."

In Cuba, health authorities reported 13 new cases of the virus, bringing the country's total to 80 cases, including two deaths.

Francisco Duran, national director of epidemiology of the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, highlighted China's collaboration with other nations in the global fight against the new coronavirus.