Chile Extends Coronavirus-Related State of Catastrophe Until September 25

BUENOS AIRES, September 3- The Chilean authorities have decided to extend the country’ s coronavirus-related state of catastrophe until September 25, Interior Minister Victor Perez told the Cooperativa radio station on Thursday. The emergency measures were expected to expire on September 14, although the government has prolonged the state of catastrophe…

BUENOS AIRES, September 3 (Sputnik) – The Chilean authorities have decided to extend the country’s coronavirus-related state of catastrophe until September 25, Interior Minister Victor Perez told the Cooperativa radio station on Thursday.

The emergency measures were expected to expire on September 14, although the government has prolonged the state of catastrophe to cover the country’s Independence Day holiday, which will take place on September 18, the interior minister stated.

“We are especially concerned about national holidays … All experts and indicators tell us that during national holidays, we must take special care to avoid new outbreaks,” Perez said.

The state of catastrophe, which was first declared in March, brought a curfew and a limit on mass gatherings. The armed forces have been drafted in to enforce the measures.

Since the start of the outbreak, more than 416,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Chile and the South American country’s death toll stands at 11,422.

More than 1,700 new positive tests have been registered over the past 24 hours, the government said on Thursday.