MEXICO CITY, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 in Latin America is on the rise, with Brazil's death toll surpassing 5,000.
The number of deaths in Brazil rose to 5,017, while confirmed cases rose to 71,886, the government reported Tuesday.
The Brazilian government has extended the ban on foreigners entering the country by air for another 30 days in order to contain the spread of the virus.
The restriction does not apply to foreigners who have achieved citizenship, nor to foreigners working in international organizations or foreign governmental institutions.
Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency on Tuesday approved the availability of rapid tests for COVID-19 in pharmacies and drugstores in the country until the conclusion of the public health emergency. Establishments to provide the tests must have a qualified professional to administer it on-site and interpret results.
In Ecuador, confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 24,258 with 871 deaths, the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) reported Tuesday.
According to the MSP daily report, in the last 24 hours, 1,018 new cases were registered, with 208 deaths, most of them in the province of Guayas, the epicenter of the virus in the country, which has reported 64.9 percent of the cases nationwide.
Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo said that 64,558 tests for COVID-19 have been conducted in the country so far.
On May 4, Ecuador -- one of the hardest-hit countries by the pandemic in Latin America -- will begin the transition from the quarantine phase to that of social distancing, as part of the gradual resumption of activities and the reopening of some productive sectors.
The Chilean Health Ministry reported on Tuesday that a total of 14,365 people have been infected with COVID-19 in the country, with 207 deaths.
The ministry reported that 552 new cases and nine more deaths were registered over the last 24 hours.
"In recent weeks, we have seen that the number of new cases has remained around 400 or 500; therefore, we can see that we are reaching a plateau of new and confirmed cases," Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza said.
A few days ago, the Chilean government called on citizens to adopt a "new normal," promoting the gradual return of public officials to their jobs and the gradual opening of trade in order to reactivate the nation's economy.
The Peruvian Health Ministry reported on Tuesday that there are currently 31,190 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, with 854 deaths.
According to the Peruvian authorities, 267,612 tests have been conducted for the detection of the disease, of which 236,422 were negative.
"Peru has been making an effort to improve its registry, but given the characteristics of the Peruvian health system, the registry is still incomplete," Health Minister Victor Zamora said, noting that authorities are reacting rapidly to detect and register cases.
In order to prevent the spread of the virus, the government has extended mandatory social isolation until May 10 and implemented a curfew from 4:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. local time. Enditem
