Argentina recorded 4,890 new cases of Covid-19 on Monday and 121 new fatalities, meaning the country has now recorded more than 3,000 deaths since the virus since the global pandemic began.
In total, 3,059 fatalities from the novel coronavirus have been registered in the country since the beginning of March. Monday's daily figure of 121 fatalities was the highest single day death toll to date.
The number of infections showed a drop for the third consecutive day, dropping below 5,000 cases. Last week, peaks of more than 6,000 were being recorded. In total, Argentina has recorded 164,403 infections, the Health Ministry confirmed in its daily update.
While 90 percent of new cases continue to be recorded in the capital and its heavily populated periphery, government officials have warned that new outbreaks are being reported in most provinces.
Reports in the local press have suggested that government officials are evaluating whether to tighten lockdown conditions in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area (AMBA), or delay planned re-openings in the coming weeks.
Restrictions were loosened at the beginning of last week as pressure on the government to liberalise measures grew, with a phased re-opening of select activities running until August 2.
Most people living in the AMBA region have been under some form of lockdown since March 20.
Addressing the health system, the Health Ministry said Monday there are 1,002 patients with Covid-19 in Argentina who are hospitalised in intensive care units. Beds in ICUs are at 54.2 percent occupancy nationwide and at 63.5 percent in the AMBA region.
Speaking Monday, Buenos Aires Province Deputy Health Ministry, Nicolás Kreplak, warned though there are "many hospitals with full beds" in the region.
"In a week cases in the province have increased by 33 percent. It is clearly a problem. If the trend continues, it would be very worrying," the official said at a press conference.
Of the close to 5,000 new cases registered Monday, 3,351 were recorded in Buenos Aires Province, with 1,059 in Buenos Aires City. Córdoba Province had 99, Jujuy 92, Río Negro recorded 62 and Mendoza 61. All other provinces were around the 30 or lower mark, with only single cases in San Juan, San Luis, Santiago del Estero, Chubut and Misiones.
– TIMES/AFP/PERFIL
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