SANTIAGO – Chile’s Health Minister Jaime Mañalich on Friday complained that “the monitoring of quarantine measures is not being satisfactory” in the country, adding 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.
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.
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
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 the minister, 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.
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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.
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.”
