Ross Brown/The Santiago Times Staff
SANTIAGO – Chile’s Health Ministry on Monday reported that a total of 138,846 people have been tested positive for COVID-19 and 2,264 people have died from the disease.
In the past 24 hours, 4,696 new cases of infection have been detected and 74 patients died.
According to Minister Jaime Mañalich, the information implies the inclusion of people who lost their lives under the new parameters announced. However, he maintained that “the registration of deceased persons from the Civil Registry is usually lower, so that tomorrow a number of deaths may appear from the weekend that have not yet been incorporated into the database.”
Regarding the available ventilators, Mañalich emphasized that there are currently 321 that can be used by patients.
In the country, 11,821 total places are registered in sanitary residences, the total number of which rose to 130 in the country.
Some 24,334 cases remain active or are receiving treatment.
Chile’s outbreak picked up speed in May, with an exponential increase in the number of infections and deaths. The capital and other hard-hit areas remain in lockdown.
Regarding the quarantines, Mañalich explained that “regardless that the trend in the communes of the Metropolitan region is favorable, it is also true to point out that the numbers of the people affected are still very high.”
This Sunday it was announced that Calama and San Antonio will be quarantined as of this Tuesday, June 9 at 10:00 p.m.
Minister Mañalich did not rule out that it could be extended for another week due to the increase in infections in both areas.
In the case of Calama, he said, there is a “very significant increase” in cases, associated with “a sloppiness in social distancing measures.”
Ya son más de 11 mil camas disponibles en #ResidenciasSanitarias para cumplir cuarentenas. ¿Cómo los trasladaremos?
Los Furgones Escolares colaborarán al traslado seguro de pacientes #COVID19
No basta cuidar la salud de uno mismo, sino que debemos cuidar la salud de los demás. pic.twitter.com/icPTiPyQWt
— Sebastian Piñera (@sebastianpinera) June 7, 2020
On Sunday, President Sebastian Piñera announced an agreement with organizations of school vans to transfer patients to medical residences.
“They are collaborating to be able to transfer people we want to isolate so that they do not infect others,” he said.
Chile’s presidential security chief tests positive for COVID-19
