Peru records record one-day deaths from Covid-19

Peru registered this Saturday 294 dead by coronavirus in a record number of deaths since the start of the pandemic in this country 13 months ago, as officially announced.

According to what was reported by the Ministry of Health, accumulated infections amounted to 1573.961 (5616 were counted in the last 24 hours) while the deaths reached 52625 (294 were confirmed this Saturday) and therefore the death toll of August 13, 2020 when there were 277 deaths, in the midst of the first wave of the pandemic.

Peru had recorded a record of nearly 13,000 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, at the start of a mandatory four-day national quarantine, coinciding with the Easter holidays, in a strategy to try to contain the infections.

Peruvians are called to the polls on Sunday April 11 to elect a new president and renew the Congress. The interim government of Francisco Sagasti has ruled out postponing the elections although the second wave of the pandemic does not give the country a truce.

This week, infections stand at nearly 7,400 per day on average, up from 9,078 last week, according to official figures. For two months, nearly 200 people have died from the coronavirus every day.

Peru began vaccination against covid-19 on February 9 with doses of the Chinese vaccine, but the first step is aimed at healthcare workers, the military, police, firefighters and the elderly. The goal is to vaccinate 25 million of the 33 million Peruvians, but the campaign is progressing slowly.

In Peruvian hospitals there are 13,357 coronavirus patientsAccording to the report, 2,143 less than the record of 15,500 on March 30, according to the AFP agency.