First modification: 08/04/2021 – 03:42Last modification: 08/04/2021 – 03:41
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Five (AFP)
Peru registered 314 deaths from covid-19 this Wednesday, the highest daily figure since the pandemic broke into the country 13 months ago, the Ministry of Health reported, four days before the presidential and legislative elections.
Accumulated infections amounted to 1,607,898, after adding 9,305 on Wednesday; and the deaths, to 53,725, with 314 in the last 24 hours, according to the daily balance of the ministry, which surpassed the record of 294 deaths registered last Saturday.
The situation has worsened in Peru, which had recorded an unprecedented high on Thursday with almost 13,000 new cases in one day.
Peruvians are summoned to the polls this Sunday to elect a new president and renew Congress. The interim government of Francisco Sagasti has ruled out postponing the elections although the second wave of the pandemic does not give truce.
Former soccer player George Forsyth, 38, became the third presidential candidate to test positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, for which he suspended the campaign closing acts and is in isolation at home.
Last week, the daily number of infections averaged 8,442, down from 9,078 the previous week, according to official figures.
In the past two months, nearly 200 people have died from coronavirus every day, but last week the number rose to 245.
Peru began vaccination against covid-19 on February 9 with Chinese inoculants, but in the first stage only health personnel, military, police, firefighters and the elderly had access.
The goal is to immunize 25 million – out of a total of 33 million Peruvians – but the campaign is progressing slowly.
In the country’s hospitals there are 13,823 patients with coronavirus, according to the balance, 1,677 less than the record of 15,500 on March 30.
© 2021 AFP
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