Chile Presents 97% Occupancy in Intensive Care Units

Chile's Health Undersecretary Alberto Dougnac confirmed a critical situation in the country's intensive care units (ICU) as 97 percent of its beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients.

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On Monday, the COVID-19 positivity rate climbed to 8.42 percent. Active cases reached 45,021 people after 6,372 new cases were recorded. 

Dougnac informed that 4,023 out of 4,158 ICU beds are currently occupied. This situation is dramatic given that the Chilean health system only has the capacity to provide intensive care to 135 new COVID-19 cases in the short term.

At least, 70 percent of the newly infected patients in ICU are between 20 and 59 years old, most of whom have not been vaccinated. 

The Health Ministry will update the "Step by Step" Plan to expand restrictive measures to other regions, including a total or partial quarantine and border closures. 

As of Tuesday morning, the Andean country had vaccinated 7.3 million people, which represents 38 percent of its population. Vaccines come from Sinovac and Pfizer.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in March last year, health authorities have confirmed 1,082,920 COVID-19 cases and 24,483 related fatalities.