Chile's healthcare system 'very close to limit' says Prez Sebastian as COVID cases spike

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to tighten its grip on some parts of the world, Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera has said that the country’s healthcare system is currently under stress and is ‘very close to the limit’. This comes as the number of confirmed cases in Chile has continued to rise and have surpassed 69,100. 

However, recently Sebastian had announced the launch of the first in series of five modular hospitals in Chile. According to him, Sótero del Río Hospital will add at least 500 beds to the public health system of the country. He also added, “Today we need, more than ever, the responsibility and solidarity of all.” 

Meanwhile, Chile has now become the third-most affected country of COVID-19 pandemic in South America after Brazil and Peru. The reported mortality rate in Chile is 718 which is way lower than that of Brazil and Peru that have witnessed 22,666 and 3,456 deaths respectively. 

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'South America new epicentre of COVID-19'

Sebastian confessed about the increasing pressure on Chile’s healthcare system just days after the World Health Organisation (WHO) emergencies director Mike Ryan said that South America has become an “epicentre” of the COVID-19 pandemic as Brazil surpassed Russia's coronavirus infection and became a second-most affected country in the world.

While the global infections have surpassed 5.3 million, there have been significant spikes in the COVID-19 cases in Central as well as South America.  This week, as more and more countries claim to have contained the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus, Brazil became the latest flashpoint and has now recorded 347,398 confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

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Image Source: AP