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Antarctica can no longer claim to be the only coronavirus-free continent after 36 Chileans tested positive for Covid-19.
Two Chilean marines rest at the Chilean military base Presidente Eduardo Frei, on King George Island, Antarctica, on March 13, 2014.
Photo: AFP / Vanderlei Almeida
Spanish-language media reported that up to 36 people connected to the Chilean Army base, General Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme, tested positive for the virus on Monday.
The research station, known colloquially as O’Higgins, is one of the 13 Chilean bases active in Antarctica.
It is located near the northernmost tip of the Antarctic Peninsula in West Antarctica, far from Australia’s bases in East Antarctica, and a travel website described it as “difficult to reach even on Antarctic terms.”
In August, Antarctica New Zealand said it would cut regular support staff and scientists from 350 to 100, all of whom would isolate themselves for 14 days to prevent Covid-19 from reaching the southern continent.
Australia sent around 250 expedition members to Davis, Mawson and Casey stations and Macquarie Island this season, about half the usual staff.
According to the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) website, only personnel deemed essential to keep the stations operational and monitor wildlife and weather traveled south.
The expedition members were isolated for two weeks in Hobart and were tested by Covid three times before traveling to Antarctica.
The Scientific Committee of the Antarctic Region was already investigating how the Covid-19 pandemic had affected Antarctica.
ABC has contacted the AAD, the National Antarctic Program Administrators Council, the World Health Organization, the Chilean embassy and the Chilean Antarctic Institute for comment.
-ABC / with additional reports from RNZ
