Chilean Army/Reuters
Antarctica is no longer the only continent free of the pandemic.
Thirty-six people stationed at the General Bernardo O Higgins Riquelme Antarctic base had tested positive for the virus, Chilean officials said this week. The permanent research station is located on tip of the continent south of Chile.
Of those infected, 26 are members of the Chilean army and 10 are civilian maintenance personnel, authorities said in a statement to the Spanish-language television channel 24 Horas. The officials added that contact tracing was underway and those who tested positive were in isolation.
No other countries have publicly reported positive cases on Antarctica, USA Today reported, and there have been concerted efforts to ensure the virus did not reach the remote continent.
Coronavirus strikes Antarctica
23 Dec 2020
Gulf Today Report
The coronavirus continues its global rampage, having killed over a million people and infected over 77 million so far. A new variant of Sars-CoV-2 found in the UK has sparked a new wave of fear and has virtually isolated Britain from the rest of the world. Over 50 countries have banned flights from the UK. However, the only continent that was so far not in the grip of the lethal tentacles of the dreaded disease was the remote continent of Antarctica.
Till now, we have been hearing reports of global warming affecting the area. Of giant Arctic shelves crumbling, or blooms of algae surfacing. Unfortunately, Antarctica is no more Covid-free, as 36 people tested positive at the Chilean research base, the Chilean military said.
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