Colombia extends selective quarantine until end of October

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia will extend a so-called selective quarantine for the duration of October, President Ivan Duque said in a nightly address on Monday, and urged citizens to avoid meeting in large groups.

The Andean country began more than five months of lockdown in March. It entered a much-looser "selective" quarantine phase - allowing dining at restaurants and international flights - at the start of September.

"The rules we have followed in September will remain in place during October," Duque said, adding people should avoid meeting in large groups to help control the spread of coronavirus.

BOGOTA: Colombia will extend a so-called selective quarantine for the duration of October, President Ivan Duque said in a nightly address on Monday, and urged citizens to avoid meeting in large groups.

The Andean country began more than five months of lockdown in March. It entered a much-looser “selective” quarantine phase – allowing dining at restaurants and international flights – at the start of September.

“The rules we have followed in September will remain in place during October,” Duque said, adding people should avoid meeting in large groups to help control the spread of coronavirus.

Colombia has reported 818,203 infections of the novel coronavirus, as well as 25,641 deaths.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said Tuesday that 16,600 out of the 43,600 applicants have already qualified as contact tracers.

In an interview over Teleradyo, Año revealed the hiring will be relentless until the ideal number of hired contact tracers reaches 50,000.

He added the contact tracers will receive P18,000 monthly salary and will trace the close contacts or those exposed to COVID-19 patients.

The DILG chief also insisted on the need to aggressively place all COVID-19 patients in the state-accredited isolation facilities.

Año added that those in close contact with the COVID-19 individuals should be locked down and tested before being determined if they are fit to get out of their houses.

He stressed this after making numerous declarations in the past that it is the best way to end the progressive transmission of the disease.

However, home quarantine will be allowed for patients with comorbidities and who have separate bedrooms and bathrooms.