Chile exceeds one million total infections and closes its borders again

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Chilean government announced Thursday that it would close its borders again during the whole month of April to contain the pandemic, which continues to break daily records this day registered 7,830 new infections, surpassing the one million total cases mark.

Travel abroad will be restricted throughout this month for both Chileans and foreigners residing in the country. It will only be possible to leave by means of extraordinary authorization for urgent and qualified humanitarian reasons, health treatments, or essential steps for the country’s proper functioning.

Undersecretary for Crime Prevention, Katherine Martorell, announced that the entry of foreigners not residing in Chile would also be prohibited for 30 days, except for those duly authorized by the Chilean consular authority in the country of origin.

For trucks entering through the land border, the driver will be required to have a negative PCR test for a maximum of 72 hours.

“It is a time to take difficult measures, but we need everyone’s effort,” said Martorell, who also announced more restrictive measures to reduce the movement of people further.

NEW RESTRICTIONS TO REDUCE MOBILITY

The authority made a new definition of the goods and services considered “essential for domestic use”. During the next 15 days, they will be the only ones commercialized in the total quarantine and weekend confinement zones.

“They are those goods or services that are intended to be used by people inside the home (…), and that is essential for subsistence (food, medicines, toiletries and personal hygiene), teleworking distance learning, and the conservation and security of the property,” he said.

During this time and in these quarantine zones, the retail sale of clothing and clothing accessories, footwear in specialized commerce, the wholesale of perfumes, toiletries, and cosmetics, among others, will be restricted.

To limit people’s movement in the quarantine zones, only two individual permits per week will be granted, of which only one may be used during weekends or holidays.

“With this, it will be possible to reduce mobility on weekends, when it is understood that citizens have more social gatherings or visits to their families, instances in which there is a greater risk of contagion”, explained the authorities.

Likewise, the curfew was brought forward throughout the country, which as of Monday will be in force between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

RECORD NUMBER OF INFECTIONS

The Undersecretary of Health, Paula Daza, announced today that in the last 24 hours, 7,830 cases of covid-19 were registered, which is the highest figure of the entire pandemic and with which the total number of contagions exceeded one million since the first case was confirmed in March 2020.

Of this accumulated number, 42,915 are active cases, which marks a new record. The number of people admitted to intensive care units, 2,729, a situation that puts hospital occupancy at the limit, which is at 95% nationwide.

As for deaths, 193 new deaths were reported, bringing the national total to 23,328.

Although Chile is carrying out one of the fastest and most successful vaccination processes globally, it has inoculated almost 6.8 million people. It is the country with the third-highest percentage of vaccinated population -, it has not managed to halt the spread of the virus, and after the southern summer, it is suffering the severe scourge of a second wave.

At the moment, more than 83 % of the population is under total quarantine, including the capital, where more than 7 million people live, and all non-essential businesses remain closed.