Argentina surpasses 750,000 Covid-19 infections

The Health Ministry reported 14,392 new infections of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, pushing Argentina's confirmed cases past 750,000.

Officials also reported 419 fatalities on Wednesday, the majority in Buenos Aires Province, raising the confirmed death toll to 16,937.

Close to 3,000 additional fatalities, again from Buenos Aires Province, have yet to be loaded onto the National Health Surveillance System, or SNVS.

Covid-19 has now infected 751,001 people in the country since the start of the global pandemic, despite the early adoption of quarantine measures back on March 20.

Argentina now occupies eighth place in the global ranking compiled by the United States' John Hopkins University, having overtaken Mexico.

More than 25,000 tests are now taking place daily, with just under two million tested since the first outbreak of the virus in Argentina.

Government data shows 594,645 cases as recovered, with 139,419 active cases. According to the Health Ministry, 3,792 patients are currently hospitalised for Covid-19 in intensive care units (ICUs) across the country, with bed occupancy in adult ICUs at 61.7 percent nationwide and 64.7 percent in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area (AMBA).

Wednesday's total of 14,392 new cases was the highest since the pandemic began, with the previous high of 13,477 recorded on 13,477. The deadliest day to date was September 22, when 470 fatalities were recorded.

The virus initially spread quickest in the AMBA region, but now focus is shifting towards several provinces that are recording higher numbers week-by-week.

Of the cases recorded Wednesday, 5,943 were from Buenos Aires Province, followed by the provinces of Santa Fe (2,017) and Córdoba (1,718). Buenos Aires City was next on 898, followed by 739 from Tucumán, 691 from Mendoza, 369 from Río Negro, 360 from Salta and 256 from Tierra del Fuego. All other provinces reported less than 200 cases, with Formosa registering no positive over the last 24 hours.

At an event launching the government's federal Dectectar programme in Santa Fe Province on Tuesday, President Alberto Fernández said that "65 percent of [new] Covid-19 cases were occurring in the interior of the country," while "the AMBA [region] has been reduced to 35 percent."

– TIMES/NA/AFP