New Coronavirus cases skyrocket in Chile to 7,084, the highest since the start of pandemic

Chile, which has been mired in a second wave of the pandemic for months, added 7,084 cases of covid-19 today, the highest figure since the virus arrived in the country in March 2020.

With the 7,084 cases reported today by the authorities, the total balance since the beginning of the pandemic thus reached 925,089 cases and 22,180 deaths, after registering 93 deaths in the last 24 hours.

“We have seen a large increase in cases in recent weeks and this is of great concern to us. Starting today, new communes will go into quarantine as a preventive measure”, affirmed the Undersecretary of Health, Paula Daza.

With the twenty-four neighborhoods of the country that entered a total quarantine this Saturday, almost 9 of the 19 million inhabitants of the country are now confined, including large cities such as Concepción, Valparaíso, La Serena and the center of Santiago.

Chile is mired in a second wave of the pandemic since the arrival of the austral summer last December, which worsened after the month of February, the peak of the summer season, and which has led it to register figures of new cases similar to those of June, when the first peak of the health crisis passed.

In the last 24 hours, a new record of PCR tests was carried out, more than 75,000, and a national rate of positivity was registered – the number of COVID-19 infections detected for every 100 PCR tests performed – of 9%.

NEW RESTRICTIONS ON TRAVELERS

To prevent the spread of the virus, the authorities announced this Saturday new restrictions on travelers coming from abroad as of next March 25, who, in addition to carrying a negative PCR, must do a mandatory 10-day quarantine that will no longer be exemptable.

In addition, travelers from Brazil, for whom more restrictive regulations already apply and who are obliged to spend ten days in a sanitary residence, will also have to spend 72 hours in a hotel to undergo a PCR test, in addition to the one they bring from their country of origin, after which they must also confine themselves.

Daza added that all travelers who present various symptoms during home quarantine must enter a residence, adding that all measures will be strictly controlled.

In parallel, the country is carrying out a successful vaccination process and this day exceeded 5.5 million people who have received at least one dose, a figure that encompasses the entire population at risk.

Chile is the fourth country in the world with the most people inoculated (more than 35% of the population) and the one that vaccinates the fastest, with 1.4 daily doses per 100 inhabitants.

The country has been in a state of emergency due to catastrophe for more than a year, with a curfew from 10:00 p.m. and in March with closing hours for restaurants and retail trade at 8:00 p.m.