Chile has recorded a record number of daily coronavirus cases: more than 7,000 in the last 24 hours

Chile recorded 7,084 new cases of coronavirus this Saturday in the past 24 hours, the highest number since the start of the pandemic, while central Santiago and twenty other neighborhoods began their first day of total quarantine.

With the new positives reported by the authorities this Saturday, the total balance thus reached 925,089 cases and 22,180 deaths, after registering 93 deaths on the last day.

“We have seen a sharp increase in cases in recent weeks and this is of great concern to us. From today, new municipalities will enter quarantine as a preventive measure “, said the Under-Secretary for Health, Paula Daza.

With the 24 districts of the country entered this Saturday in total quarantine, nearly 9 of the country’s 19 million people have been confined, including big cities like 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 February, the peak of the summer season, and which led it to record figures of new cases similar to those of June, when the first peak of the health crisis.

In the past 24 hours, a new record for PCR tests, with more than 75,000, and one 9% national positivity rate.

New restrictions on travelers

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the authorities announced this Saturday new restrictions on travelers from abroad as of March 25, who, in addition to presenting a negative PCR, must perform mandatory 10-day quarantine.

Likewise, travelers from Brazil, for whom more restrictive regulations already apply and who are forced 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 home country, after which they must also remain in detention.

Undersecretary Daza added that all travelers who exhibit various symptoms during home quarantine must enter a residence and assured that the measures will be strictly controlled.

At the same time, the country is leading a successful vaccination campaign against COVID-19 disease, which this Saturday exceeded the 5.5 million people inoculated with at least one dose, a figure which encompasses the entire population at risk.

Chile is the fourth country in the world with the highest number of people vaccinated (more than 35%) and the one that does it the fastest, with 1.4 daily doses per 100 inhabitants.

The country has been in state of emergency due to disaster, with a curfew from 10 p.m. and in March with closing hours for restaurants and retail at 8 p.m.

With information from EFE

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