BOGOTA, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Colombia reported 173 deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, taking its national death toll to 24,570, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, 7,102 new COVID-19 cases were reported, bringing the nationwide tally to 777,537, the ministry said.
A total of 650,801 patients have so far recovered, it added.
Claudia Lopez, mayor of the capital city Bogota, said on Tuesday that the city has returned to a "new normal," adding that commercial businesses are opening with biosecurity measures in place.
Meanwhile, the Colombian government announced that it was one of the countries chosen by the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization, along with other nations in the region, where tests of a possible vaccine against COVID-19 will be carried out. Enditem
