The coronavirus has arrived in Antarctica: 36 infections and …

Not even Antarctic is registered since coronavirus: the government of Chile has reported an outbreak of covid-19 at a base that country’s military has on this continente, who until now was free from SARS-CoV-2. Chilean authorities have reported 36 infections.

The Chilean army detailed in a statement that in recent days, some of the personnel Antarctic base “Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme” had symptoms associated with covid-19. In front of this situation it was decided to evacuate those affected.

The suspicions were confirmed during medical checks and PCR tests: “36 men tested positive for covid-19, of whom 26 correspond to army personnel and 10 are civilians from a contracted company which carried out work on scheduled maintenance at the Antarctic base, ”said the Chilean army press release.

All are isolated and monitored at all times. The authorities specified that they are “without any type of complication associated with covid-19”, added the institution.

he The contagion dates back to the recent visit to the base of the Chilean navy ship “Sargento Aldea”, who performed logistical support tasks between November 27 and December 10. After completing his mission and arrive at the port of Talcahuano on December 16, three positive cases were detected out of a total of 208 crew members.

After confirmation of the cases, the entire ship’s crew were quarantined on board the ship in the same port of Talcahuano. The infected people are also, according to the Chilean government, “in good health and in accordance with the health protocols in force”.

Previously, positive cases had already been detected among personnel disembarked in the city of Punta Arenas on December 10, according to the Chilean Navy in another statement. Before departure and as a precautionary measure, “the entire ship’s crew had to undergo a PCR test. Once their result was known and confirmed that the entire ship’s crew had produced a negative PCR, the ‘unit left this city for the mainland. Antarctica,’ said the same force.

Until now, Antarctica was one of the few places in the world to be coronavirus-free, after the increase in controls and the cancellation of all tourist trips.

The Chilean authorities have also decided to transfer non-essential personnel and to ban contact between the nearly 40 international bases based in Antarctica.