Chile adds 1,874 new cases of coronavirus while the positivity rate falls

Chile added this Saturday 1,874 new cases of coronavirus and registered a national positivity rate of 3%, the lowest since the beginning of the pandemic and shows that the virulent second wave that hit the country during March and June is being controlled.

The number of infections detected for every 100 PCR tests carried out was also 3% in the metropolitan area of ​​Santiago, where 8 of the 19 million inhabitants of the country live and where, as of next week, the quarantine that has been in force for many months will be lifted on weekends.

National positivity has been below 5% for almost two weeks, the threshold established by the World Health Organization (WHO) to consider the pandemic controlled.

“Although the figures are positive, we must continue to take care of ourselves, reinforcing self-care. Keeping ourselves on this path depends on all of us”, said the Chilean Minister of Health, Enrique Paris.

The total balance since the beginning of the pandemic thus remains at 1.59 million infections and 34,403 deaths, after registering 94 new deaths in the last 24 hours.

“The variation in new confirmed cases at the country level shows a drop of 30% in the last 7 days and 42% in the last 14 days,” added Paris.

The number of patients hospitalized in intensive care also fell to 2,072 and active cases to 12,863, that is, people who can currently spread the virus.

Given the favorable epidemiological situation, since last Thursday the country faces the pandemic with less strict measures and greater advantages for those vaccinated, the streets of Santiago regain their vitality and gyms, theaters, cinemas and centers for the elderly were able to reopen in the largest part of the country.

Chile has deployed one of the most successful vaccination processes against covid-19 in the world, which today reaches more than 84% of the target population with one dose and almost 75% with two injections, most with Coronavac, and to a lesser extent with Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Cansino.

The country is studying applying a third dose in order to avoid outbreaks, especially after the arrival of the delta variant, the most contagious according to the World Health Organization (WHO), of which almost twenty cases have already been confirmed in Chile in the last week.

The country maintains a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in most of the territory and borders closed except in cases of emergency until July 25.