On Monday, the National Institute of Health (INS) processed a record 7,537 PCR tests across Colombia confirming 550 new cases of COVID-19, putting the national total at 11,613.
As cases continue to climb, Bogotá began a gradual reopening of specific economic sectors authorized by the government of President Iván Duque and with the district administration given “the key” to permit 2.7 million workers to resume some degree of productivity. Among the announced changes to the Bogotá quarantine is lifting of gender-based mobility and tough controls for the obligatory wearing of facemasks.
While Bogotá has been at the epicenter of the outbreak since the first case in the country was confirmed on March 6, on Monday, the contagion was concentrated in the department of Amazonas with 191 cases, followed by Bogotá with 150, Cartagena 56, Valle 36, Atlántico 26, Barranquilla 26, Magdalena 12 among other cities and departments.
In a city with a population of 10 million, of Bogotá’s 4,305 cases the majority of infected are receiving home treatment with 280 hospitalized and 45 in intensive care. The capital on Monday reported 4 additional fatalities putting the new total from COVID-19 at 149. According to data provided by the Ministry of Health, Bogotá, in just over two months went from having 100% of the nation’s coronavirus total to 37%.
The number of recovered patients also continued to improve on Monday with 2,825 in the recent INS tally and based on PRC testing, the coronavirus reproduction rate in Colombia remains below 1.
On Monday, 16 additional fatalities from the virus put the nation’s new total at 479, with Leticia, Cali, Bogotá, Barranquilla and Cartagena the cities confirming deaths, the youngest victim a 59-year old male in Bogotá, and eldest, a 92-year old male in Cartagena.
