Colombian president extends pandemic health emergency for three months

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Colombian President Ivan Duque announced a decision Thursday night, February 25th, to extend a declared national health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic for three more months, as the vaccination drive entered its eighth day.

“On February 28th, the health emergency in our country will expire. Today I want to inform you, with (Health and Social Protection) Minister Fernando Ruiz and the team of experts, we have decided to extend the concept of the health emergency until May 31st,” Duque said.

Colombia registered 3,683 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 2,241,225, said the health ministry on Thursday.

The country reported 136 more deaths, raising the national death toll to 59,396, said the ministry.