Panama’s construction industry  got another setback on Friday June 26 with the news from the Health Ministry that, in the face of mushrooming  coronavirus cases  the shutdown of  private  building projects will be extended for another 15 days affecting scores of thousand of workers,

A  published decree  in officialese  said that "within the term of the suspension, the Ministry of Health may order by resolution, the reactivation of the operation, activity and mobility of companies to develop projects and provide services to a public institution, whose temporary suspension of activities is due to orders issued by the Executive Branch, due to the validity of the State of National Emergency. "

Pruvate construction activities have been suspended since March 19.  When with the opening of Block 2 of economic activities, public construction projects were authorized.