Chile: Rengo and parts of Arica commune to be quarantined as of July 14 /update 22

Event

On Sunday, July 12, public health authorities announced that the city of Rengo and the urban areas of Arica will be placed under quarantine as of 22:00 (local time) on Tuesday, July 14. The announcement was made after health authorities registered a significant rise of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in those areas in the latest official reports.

As of Monday, July 13, dozens of communes in Chile remain under quarantine. Full details on what the quarantine orders imply and which regions are affected can be found on the Chilean government's website. Under the quarantine measures, members of the public may only leave their homes to access basic or essential services, including medical, or to access public services. Those doing so must have a permit.

The country's borders remain closed to foreign travelers until further notice. The restrictions do not apply to Chilean nationals, and citizens and permanent residents are also still permitted to enter the country. The closure also does not apply to cargo and associated personnel.

As of July 13, there have been 315,041 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Chile, and 6979 associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly, and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.