Uruguay adds 2,813 new cases and 53 Covid-19 deaths (June 15)

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Uruguay added this Tuesday 2,813 new cases of Covid-19 after 19,669 tests were processed, according to the daily report of the National Emergency System of the country.

There were 53 deaths this day, bringing the total to 5,089 deaths since the health emergency was declared in the South American country on March 13, 2020.

With this information, Uruguay has 343,615 cases of covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, of which 31,337 are people who are currently suffering from the disease, 437 of them admitted to Intensive Treatment Centers (CTI).

However, according to the Uruguayan Society of Intensive Care Medicine (SUMI) information, 750 of the 1,016 operational ICU beds are occupied, which represents 73.8% of the total (44.1% of them due to Covid-19).

In addition, the country is in the red zone, having accumulated more than 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 7 days. Only the department (province) of Rivera went to orange, with an average of 23.95.

Despite the high number of cases and deaths, duty-free stores on the dry border with Brazil (free shops) and gyms and sports clubs recently reopened. Primary school students have also been gradually resuming on-site classes. High schools are expected to start after the July vacations, partly favored by the start, a few days ago, of vaccination of the population between 12 and 17 years of age.

However, the suspension of public events and shows has been extended until June 20, and the time restriction in bars and restaurants is maintained until midnight.

The government of president Luis Lacalle Pou announced that it would no longer require the mandatory 7-day quarantine for Uruguayans or residents entering the country with 2 doses of vaccine or a negative PCR test. However, the borders are still closed to tourism and non-resident foreigners, except for diplomatic, economic labor, or family reunification reasons.

Regarding vaccination, as of 6PM (9 pm GMT), this Tuesday, a total of 3,350,362 doses have been administered in Uruguay.

According to government figures, 1,242,623 people received the full immunization (two doses) with CoronaVac or the American Pfizer vaccines, representing 35.12 % of the population. At the same time, another 865,116 were inoculated with the first dose of either of those or the Anglo-Swedish AstraZeneca vaccine.