Colombia witnessed a marked increase in the number of COVID-19 deaths during the last 24-hours with the Ministry of Health confirming 14 fatalities from the disease across the country, the youngest a 37-year old woman in Bogotá without previous medical conditions, and oldest a 98-year old man in Ocaña, Santander. The 14 most recent deaths raise the nation’s toll to 69, despite a lowering of reported cases of infection with 167 compared to 274 on Wednesday.
With the latest data compiled by the National Institute of Health (INS), Thursday’s national total reached 2,223. According to Thursday’s bulletin: 174 patients have recovered.
Bogotá, as of Thursday, continues to be the Colombian city most affected by the spread of COVID-19 with 1,029 cases, followed by Cali, in the department of Valle del Cauca with 348. Antioquia, whose departmental capital is Medellín, and the second-most populated city in the country reports 239 cases. The country’s southern department of Nariño which borders Ecuador saw an increase on Thursday of 19 new cases while Cartagena on the Caribbean coast 14.
The National Institute of Health processed 2,223 COVID-19 tests, up 1,440 from Wednesday. 853 tests are still active in laboratories. Since the first case of coronavirus in the country, 32,687 tested negative.
Of the 2,223 cases, 356 patients are hospitalized, 84 in intensive care.
The lowering of cases in Bogotá from 131 on Wednesday to 38 on Thursday comes after Mayor Claudia López announced further restrictive measures on the mobility of residents with a Gender-based system in when can run essential errands on calendar days ending with odd numbers, women with even numbers, and transgender on days of their sexual orientation. The measure went into effect on Thursday, although those who break the new quarantine regulations face of COP$1 million (US$300) as of Monday. Pets can be walked for 20 minutes regardless of the gender of the owner.
