Chilean Health Minister Jaime Manalich (C) attends a press conference on the COVID-19 outbreak in Santiago, Chile, March 19, 2020. Chilean Health Minister Jaime Manalich said Thursday the number of confirmed infections rose to 342, after 103 new cases were detected. (Agencia UNO/Handout via Xinhua)
SANTIAGO, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Chile's 15 political parties on Thursday agreed to postpone an upcoming plebiscite on whether to draft a new Constitution due to the novel coronavirus epidemic.
The poll, originally slated for April 26, has been put off until Oct. 25 as Chile grapples with the disease that has so far infected 342 people.
The decision came a day after Chilean President Sebastian Pinera declared a 90-day state of catastrophe to strengthen the government's hand in containing the virus.
During this special period, Chileans are urged to shelter in place and avoid mass gatherings as a way to contain the spread of the disease.
Senate leader Adriana Munoz, who attended the meeting of party heads, said it is important to "safeguard the life and health of thousands of Chileans."
Surveys show most Chileans are in favor of rewriting the Constitution to better address the growing wealth gap in one of Latin America's leading economies.
