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Santiago, December 23
The pandemic has finally reached every continent on Earth.
Chilean authorities announced that 58 people who were at two military bases in Antarctica or on a Navy ship that headed to the continent tested positive for the new coronavirus.
So far, no other country with a presence in Antarctica has publicly reported other cases.
Chile’s military announced on Monday that 36 people at the Gen Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme Antarctic base tested positive, and on Tuesday the Minister of Health for Chile’s Biobío region said there are 21 infections involving people on board the ship. supply Sergeant Aldea of the Chilean Navy.
One more case was reported in the village of Las Estrellas, where civilian personnel who work at the Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Air Base live, said Eduardo Castillo, regional health secretary for the Magallanes area, who oversees Chilean operations in Antarctica. The ship Sergeant Aldea docked in that town, he added.
The military said the first group of 36 people includes 26 members of the military and 10 civilian employees of a maintenance contract company. He said none so far had shown complications.
The first three people on the Sergeant Aldea ship tested positive last week and all 208 crew members are in quarantine aboard that ship, according to the navy. He said the ship had served the base on the Trinity Peninsula between November 27 and December 10.
The US National Science Foundation, the agency that oversees US programs in Antarctica, said it was aware of reports of positive cases in passengers aboard Sergeant Aldea.
“The personnel of the stations of the United States Antarctic Program have not had interactions with the Chilean stations in question or with the personnel residing there,” said the foundation. “NSF remains committed to not exchanging personnel or accepting tourists at USAP stations.” – AP
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