BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The Argentine government said on Monday it had reached out to Britain`s ambassador in Buenos Aires to offer material support to the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands hit by the coronavirus outbreak, almost four decades after losing control of the territory in a two-month war.

"I have conveyed to Ambassador (Mark) Kent the message from Foreign Minister Felipe Sola that, in such difficult times, solidarity has to be the way to overcome the situation caused by coronavirus," said Daniel Filmus, secretary of the Malvinas -- as the Argentines called the Falklands, Antarctica and South Atlantic -- a statement.

In his dialogue with Kent, Filmus said he offered to provide the island's 4,000 inhabitants with shipments of fresh food, medical supplies or tests to detect the virus causing COVID-19, as well as potential humanitarian flights and medical care in Argentina for those infected.

Argentina and Britain fought a war for control of the Falklands (Malvinas) for two months in 1982, with the loss of 255 British and 650 Argentine lives. Since then, Buenos Aires has claimed its sovereignty in international forums.

Argentina has seen 266 cases and four dead from COVID-19 so far, and President Alberto Fernandez has ordered a national quarantine from last Friday until March 31.

The British government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Lucila Sigal; Writing by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Leslie Adler)