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Dutch cafe closures spark panic buying of pot

People queue to buy marijuana at coffeeshop Bulwackie in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on Sunday.Peter Dejong/Associated Press

The Netherlands has recorded its biggest daily jump in the number of coronavirus infections, with 278 new cases confirmed in the last 24 hours.

The new cases reported Monday brought the country’s total to 1,413. The Dutch public health institute said four more people also died of COVID-19, bringing the national death toll to 24.

The government on Sunday ordered all schools, bars, restaurants, sports clubs, and sex clubs closed until April 6. The closures also affected the country’s famed marijuana-selling coffee shops, sparking panic buying of pot before the coffee shops closed Sunday evening.

Health Care Minister Bruno Bruins said more restrictive measures are expected to follow.

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