In Anticipation Of A Spike In Cases And The Spread Of New COVID-19 Variants, Bogota Expands Strict Quarantine

Illustration. (James Yarema / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The government of Bogota, the capital of Colombia, has imposed strict quarantine, along with the increasing number of new cases of COVID-19, as well as suspicions of a new variant of the COVID-19 mutation.

Launched by Reuters on Friday, January 8, this was conveyed by the Mayor of Bogota, Claudia Lopez, on Thursday, January 7, in a statement related to the development of COVID-19 in Bogota.

"The city government imposed strict quarantine at three locations in Bogota this week, to control the increase in infections, which could be caused by the new variant of the virus that was first identified in Britain," he explained.

The three locations in question are Kennedy, Fontibon and Teusaquillo. Meanwhile, there are three regions that have previously imposed strict quarantine, namely Usaquen, Suba and Engativa.

Bogota's people are required to stay indoors during the strict quarantine period. Shops and non-essential businesses should close. Only one person per household is allowed to go out to buy food and medicine.

"A curfew is also in place, starting at 8 pm to 4 am. This will last until January 17. We are facing a new type of COVID-19 which is very likely already circulating in Bogota," he explained.

However, the Colombian Ministry of Health said they had not found evidence of a new variant of the corona virus found in Britain that had reached Colombia.

"There is currently no scientific evidence that the acceleration of COVID-19 transmission in Colombia can be attributed to the new British strain," said Health Ministry Epidemiology and Demography Director Julian Fernandez Nino in a statement.

To note, Colombia has reported more than 1.73 million infections and 45,067 deaths due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, Bogota recorded COVID-19 cases around a quarter of national cases with the percentage of used hospital beds reaching 83.9 percent.