RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The average positivity rate of tests to detect the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Chile rose to 5.62 percent, the highest rate since October, the Ministry of Health said Wednesday, December 9th.
Tests detected 1,247 new daily cases of infection, bringing the total caseload to 564,778, while 10 more fatalities brought the death toll to 15,690.
According to the ministry, 667 people are currently hospitalized in intensive care units, including 493 on ventilators and 70 in critical condition.
The regions with the highest increase in cases in the past seven days include the capital Santiago and metropolitan area, while the southern Magallanes region continues to have the highest positivity rate, 16 percent.
Starting Thursday, the metropolitan area will reimpose lockdowns on weekends and holidays to curb the transmission of the virus.
The Chilean government anticipates a second wave of COVID-19 outbreaks in January, with 3,000 to 9,000 cases a day.