SANTIAGO – The Ministry of Health on Saturday released a new balance on the situation of the coronavirus in Chile, reporting a total of 231 deaths registered by the Civil Registry in recent days.
During the past 24 hours, there were a total of 6,509 people infected, of which 5,969 were with symptoms and 540 were asymptomatic.
In detail, 113 deaths correspond to dates prior to June 8, June 15 to 9, June 74 to 10 and June 29 to 11.
Thus, the number of deaths since the start of the pandemic in the country reaches 3,101, while the total registered infections are 167,355.
On the other hand, it is considered that there are currently 26,958 active patients and that, of these, 1,408 are connected to mechanical ventilation.
Additionally, there are 377 critically ill people with 305 mechanical fans still available.
Undersecretary Paula Daza , who returned to her duties this Saturday after a few days in quarantine, said that there are 12,264 rooms available in the 131 health residences throughout the country.
Finally, it was reported that 20,233 PCR tests were performed on the last day, reaching a total figure of 819,999 since the start of the pandemic.
Also today, the Minister of Health, Jaime Mañalich, was replaced by Enrique Paris who has assumed the office.
Chile’s health minister resigns as coronavirus tally surpasses 167,000
Mañalich, after resigning from the Minsal, said: “I have personally come to believe that this new stage of the fight against coronavirus requires a new leadership (…) that will give freshness to the conversation. It is my republican duty to step aside.”
Infections have risen steadily in the South American copper giant despite the capital Santiago and its seven million people being placed on lockdown four weeks ago.
On Friday, the government also put the cities of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar under mandatory quarantine, along with nearby rural towns. The quarantine orders mean that nearly half of Chile’s 18 million population is under strict confinement.
