Colombia to keep land, river borders closed until March

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia will keep its land and river borders closed until March 1 as it tries to curb the spread of coronavirus, its migration agency said on Friday, following a decision to extend a so-called selective quarantine through February.

International air travel, which resumed in September, will not be affected by the decision to close the mentioned borders, agency director Juan Francisco Espinosa said in a video message.

"We know this is a sacrifice for everyone but right now we need to keep taking care of ourselves," Espinosa said.

The Andean country, which closed its borders in March last year, was due to open its borders on Saturday. It is the top destination for Venezuelan migrants fleeing the long-running social and economic crisis at home.

More than 1.7 million Venezuelans are currently in Colombia, according to figures from the agency.

Humanitarian corridors on the border will remain open, and border crossings of goods will continue, Espinosa said.

On Wednesday Colombia took the decision to extend a so-called selective quarantine until the end of February, in line with its health state of emergency.

The country has reported over 1.8 million coronavirus infections, as well as more than 47,000 deaths.

(Reporting by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Andrea Ricci)