MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Chile shuts capital Santiago once more as vaccines fail to quell rampant cases foreignaffairs.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from foreignaffairs.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Chilean health authorities announced a blanket lockdown across the capital Santiago on Thursday following some of the worst COVID-19 case numbers since the pandemic began, despite having fully vaccinated more than half its population.
Covid-19 pandemic: Chile capital locks down despite mass vaccination
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image captionCritics accuse the Chilean authorities of getting caught up in triumphalism over the vaccine rollout
Chile has announced a lockdown in the capital Santiago amid rising Covid cases, despite nearly 60% of the country being fully vaccinated.
More than eight million residents living in and around the capital now must stay at home from Saturday.
On Thursday, Chile reported 7,716 new daily cases, with the vast majority of infections being among those who had not been fully vaccinated.
Intensive care beds are nearing full capacity, health officials warn.
Jose Luis Espinoza, the president of Chile s National Federation of Nursing Association, says his members are on the verge of collapse , Reuters reports.