SANTIAGO – Chile has extended the quarantine measures to counteract the spread of COVID-19 in the capital Santiago and the metropolitan area for another week as the South American country continues to register thousands of new cases and record number of daily deaths.
This Friday at 22:00, the quarantine decreed by the Ministry of Health for 41 communes in the country will be renewed again, of which 38 correspond to the Metropolitan region.
COVID-9: Chile extends lockdown in 41 communes for another week
Highest number of single-day deaths in Chile
Fifty-four new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, the highest number recorded so far since the start of pandemic in Chile, according to the Ministry of Health. Thus, the total number of fatalities rises to 944.
As detailed by Health Minister Jaime Mañalich, 3,695 new infections were registered, reaching the total number of infected at 90,638 throughout the national territory. Of the new cases reported, 3,355 are symptomatic, while 340 had no symptoms.
On the other hand, the minister specified that to date 38,598 recovered patients are registered and that there are 345 ventilators available for those who require it.
Regarding the number of PCR examinations carried out during the last hours, Mañalich stated that it reached 16,333.
Violators to be referred to sanitary residences by Fuerza Pública
At the moment, sanitary measures are not effective in stopping the constant escalation of new cases, which average 4,000 daily. Most deaths and new infections are concentrated in greater Santiago, where eight of the 18 million Chileans live, which keeps 93% of their critical care beds occupied.
Another pressure on the health system is the infected officials, 3,707 as of Thursday, with “a very small number of them requiring hospitalization.”
Mañalich once again complained that “the monitoring of quarantine measures is not being satisfactory” in the area. The minister further said that the people, who do not respect the sanitary measures imposed and specifically violate the mandatory quarantines in cases of positive or suspected COVID-19, can be referred to sanitary residences, even through the Fuerza Pública.
Ministro Jaime Mañalich:
"En mérito de la alerta sanitaria hemos decretado que todas estas personas que no cumplen con la cuarentena, sean trasladados incluso con la fuerza pública, a una Residencia Sanitaria" pic.twitter.com/GZ7n0zKMjC
— Ministerio de Salud (@ministeriosalud) May 29, 2020
Given the health emergency, Mañalich said the Government has the power to impose the isolation measure and if it is not complied with, it can be compelled until it becomes effective.
This is due to the multiple cases of people who have been found violating their quarantines and therefore put other people’s health at risk. It is to be noted that those who violate sanitary measures risk fines that can reach 50,000 pesos.
In the end, the minister issued a new call to citizens to respect the mandatory quarantines, so as not to continue increasing the number of those infected. “This disease is serious, it produces a high lethality, but not so high in our country, fortunately, but with a high risk of hospitalization.”
Chile surpasses countries most hit by COVID-19 in daily cases per million inhabitants
