Andina

At least 12 million Peruvians have already been infected with COVID-19

Photo: ANDINA/Renato Pajuelo

Photo: ANDINA/Renato Pajuelo

09:59 | Lima, Feb. 14.

Around 12 million Peruvians have already been infected with COVID-19, some showed clear signs of the disease and others did not suspect that they had been infected, expert at the National Health Institute (INS) reported on Sunday.

Dr. Lely Solari, infectious disease specialist at INS, explained that the National Center for Epidemiology, Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) at the Ministry of Health (Minsa) has updated the seroprevalence study of COVID-19 infection in the country and found that about 40% of the population already had it.

"People who developed antibodies after infection represent 40% of 32 million Peruvians," she said in an interview with Andina news agency.

"This means that more than 12 million Peruvians have been infected with the novel coronavirus," she explained.

According to the INS expert, the country's health system had detected a much smaller number of infected people, but this happens in many parts of the world, mainly due to fewer tests. 

"The truth is that more than 12 million Peruvians have been exposed to COVID-19 infection," she pointed out.

Virus mutates to stay alive

Solari remarked that this does not mean the country is getting rid of the pandemic because she warned that the recent variants indicate the virus knows what to do to survive.

"The virus is challenging us saying: I am getting organized here and I will remain present if you do not get organized as well," she commented.

(END) KGR/RRC/RMB


Published: 2/14/2021