MEXICO CITY, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Latin America on Monday continued to keep a close watch on COVID-19 as the caseload in the region topped 100.
Chile's Health Ministry announced three new cases, bringing its total to 13.
All the three new cases could be traced to a previous patient or overseas travel, specifically to Europe, where the coronavirus has been spreading rapidly, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, Chilean Defense Minister Alberto Espina pledged to support the ministry's efforts to contain the disease with "all the help" of the armed forces.
Chilean Health Minister Jaime Manalich said authorities expect the country to go from the current stage of isolated cases related to travel abroad to "a phase of community transmission," and warned that the armed forces were particularly vulnerable because of their communal living conditions.
In Peru, two more people tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total to nine.
Both new patients are related to the country's first case in a 25-year-old young man, who recently returned from a trip to Spain, France and the Czech Republic.
In Argentina, where 17 cases have now been reported with one death, Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodriguez Larreta called on those returning from the coronavirus-hit countries to voluntarily quarantine themselves.
"Especially people returning from trips to one of the countries where the virus is going around, such as China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Spain, France or Germany, in these cases we ask them to cooperate by staying at home," said Rodriguez.
The recommended period of time for self-imposed quarantine is 15 days, he said, because symptoms can take up to two weeks to surface.
On Saturday, a 64-year-old COVID-19 patient with pre-existing ailments, such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic bronchitis and kidney problems, died in Argentina. He had contracted the virus while in France.
Colombia's Health Ministry reported two new cases, bringing the total to three. Both new patients arrived from Spain.
Colombian President Ivan Duque was recently tested for COVID-19 after attending an event in the U.S. capital, where one of the other guests was reported as testing positive for the virus. Duque's results came back negative.
Ecuador has registered 15 cases to date, with the latest reported on Sunday. The new patient was in contact with the country's first case.
The government of Costa Rica, where nine cases, including three Americans and six Costa Ricans, were reported, announced it was suspending all mass gatherings, such as concerts and festivals.
It also instructed government offices to allow workers to work from home, when possible, to reduce the chances of transmission.
