Chañaral, Vichuquén, Dalcahue, Palena: only 58 communes in the country do not have cases of coronavirus

Until Monday, the commune of Monte Patria in the Coquimbo Region It was part of the 58 communes that still do not have positive cases of Covid-19, the disease that produces the new coronavirus Sars-CoV-2.

Pichilemu He was also part of this small group, until Saturday, when it was confirmed that a neighbor who visited the city of Rancagua was positive for the PCR test. Today they are waiting for the confirmation of the test of the person who lives with her. In Zapallar, a case that is already quarantining in this commune was also confirmed today.

According to Fifteenth Epidemiological Report Covid-19 Disease published by the Epidemiology Department of the Ministry of Health, 446,263 people in the country live in communes that are free of the disease.

The region that maintains the most communes without positive cases is the Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins Region, which in total, among its nine communes totals 83,132 people. It is followed by the Los Lagos region, also with nine communes and 70,964 inhabitants. In third term, the Region of Valparaíso is located with five communes and 58,428 people.

Chañaral it is one of these 58 communes. its Mayor Raúl Salas, believes that no cases have yet been presented, first of all due to “the good response of the community, which has mostly accepted the call of the national authorities and of our municipality in order to remain as long as possible in their houses, washing hands frequently, wearing face masks and keeping physical distance. ” Secondly, it mentions the measures related to strengthening the periodic sanitation of streets and public spaces and the emphasis they have placed on self-care for the population.

“It is a pandemic that does not distinguish geographies and we are aware that as the northern gateway to our region, the virus could eventually arrive,” says Salas.

Salas hopes that there will be no cases of Covid-19 in the commune and if the virus arrives, it will not affect a large number of people. “This pandemic changed our lives. We know that this is coming for a long time and that nothing will be the same; We must get used to changing our habits by relating to others. The coronavirus has made us worry about others and especially our older adults; It is from the lessons that we are learning as a community because of this virus that we must move forward together. We do not want to regret a fatal victim of this disease that is causing chaos throughout the planet and, by the way, in our country“Reflects the mayor.

In the Metropolitan Region, Alhué it is the only commune that does not have positive cases. With around seven thousand inhabitants, this town has maintained sanitary control on its two access roads since March (one from the Ministry of Health and the other controlled by municipal officials). Public transportation is not operational.

Roberto Torres, Mayor of Alhué, He knows that with the advance of the virus, at any minute the situation in his community can change. “We have taken measures to prevent it from happening, but we know that it may come. The number of people leaving the commune is low. The social responsibility of our neighbors and the decision of the Alhué Chamber of Commerce, which since March 20 closes its doors at three in the afternoon, have also helped us a lot. So after that hour, very few people are out on the streets, ”he says.

In Monte Patria, commune of the Fourth Region, with more than 35 thousand inhabitants, to date they have 20 neighbors who are waiting for the results of the PCR test. Previously, 21 have been negative. In total, 42 examinations carried out from March until now.

Camilo Ossandón, mayor of this commune explains that they are carrying out sanitation of the streets, villages and hamlets and also vehicles and for a long time, a sanitary barrier to control vehicle access to the commune. “We have also delivered personal protection implements, masks, face shields, gloves especially for people who work in the public and private services of the commune. We have educated through local radios, in the squares, emphasizing social distancing ”, he points out.

The confirmed case, mining worker, is quarantining and as part of the protocol, the primary care service monitors. In the event that your health condition, which until now is stable, worsens, coordination will be carried out with the SAMU for the transfer.

Today they will present a project of municipal ordinance that will force all inhabitants to wear a mask in public spaces. “The vast majority of people, from the first day have implemented care measures such as masks and social distancing, but there are communities, which unfortunately do not understand the dimensions of the severity of what is happening,” says the mayor.

For the same reason, Ossandón believes that greater rigor is necessary in the measures taken by the health authority. In relation to quarantines, the mayor of Monte Patria points out that as a measure these are complex from an economic point of view, “but we believe that it is better to invest in social spending, than in health treatments and exposing all citizens to a virus. it can be dangerous ”, he indicates.

In Pichilemu They will also declare the use of masks mandatory. Your mayor, Roberto Córdova He explains that he confirmed that Saturday the first case became official and they are waiting for the confirmation of a second case, the person who lives with the already confirmed one.

“We have been generating awareness in people, of the use of masks, hand washing, not going out to other communes if it is not strictly necessary, we have controls with the police and the military so that people who are not from the commune do not use their second home. That has worked well so far and will continue to do so. The case is specific, but we must not forget that we are all vulnerable to the disease. ”