WHO tells Chile that this is not the time to relax measures against the coronavirus

The representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Chile, Fernando Leanes, warned the Chilean authorities on Thursday that this is “the worst moment” to relax the measures against coronavirus (COVID-19).

“This would be the worst time to relax; the next weeks of autumn and winter could result in a very high risk of contagion due to the high incidence of cases and the increased use of closed environments”, Leanes told local radio station Radio Cooperativa.

The statements of the representative of the WHO occur on the same day that the Ministry of Health of Chile reported 7,680 new infections, the highest number since last April 17, and a number of deaths of 172 that add to the total of more than 28,000.

In addition, the positivity rate – the number of infected detected per 100 PCR tests – is 10.02%. To compare this registry, it should be noted that a positivity rate of less than 5% for 2 consecutive weeks is one of the epidemiological criteria established by the WHO to consider the pandemic controlled.

“We are observing an increase in cases and obviously that worries us greatly,” said the Minister of Health, Enrique Paris, at the time of communicating the news in the state of the pandemic.

The authority detailed that in the last 7 days the cases have increased by 11% nationwide.

These bad data came after several days of good records and the consequent lifting of restrictions for citizens and the opening of bars and restaurants in many areas of the country.

“This is not a Chilean phenomenon, an incipient increase in cases is occurring in all the countries of the Southern Cone, reversing a trend that was coming down.” Leanes said.

The information on the rebound in infections this Thursday in Chile was accompanied by the announcement that the country has already fully vaccinated (with its two doses) more than 50% of the target population, which is equivalent to more than 7.6 millions of people.

Given this progress, the Undersecretary of Health, Paula Daza, reported this Thursday that some “individual freedoms” that some people who have completed their vaccination process and are in districts that are not in total quarantine will enjoy will be released soon. older.

The southern country carries out one of the fastest and most successful immunization processes in the world: it is the second with the highest percentage of the population vaccinated with two doses, according to data from the University of Oxford, and more than 62% of the population has received a dose.