TrendsWide
Contact US
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • Reviews
No Result
View All Result
TrendsWide
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • Reviews
No Result
View All Result
TrendsWide
No Result
View All Result
Home Euro

COVID in Antarctica: What do we know about the cases and how it got there?

by souhaib
December 23, 2020
in Euro
0
74
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Reddit
ADVERTISEMENT


You might also like

Euro Drops Down below $.99 for 1st Time in 20 Yrs on Energy Fears

Euro Drops Beneath $.99 for Initial Time in 20 A long time on Power Fears

Angela Merkel given Moderna as second COVID-19 jab after having AstraZeneca as first injection

Nearly a year after the first cluster of COVID-19 cases were first officially reported China, the pandemic has reached Antarctica.

Until December 21, the world”s southernmost continent had not reported a single case of COVID-19 but 36 have now been confirmed at the General Bernardo O’Higgins base, a Chilean research station,

The Chilean Army said in a statement that 26 of those who tested positive are military personnel while the remaining 10 are civilian contractors. All were carrying out maintenance work at the base.

It is unclear how these people were infected and whether the disease has spread to other research facilities on the continent.

Euronews has reached out to the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) that runs the station for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Here’s a timeline of events:

Here’s how events unfolded based on reports from Spanish and Chilean media.

  • The Chilean navy vessel LSDH-91 Sargento Aldea left Punto Arenas in late November to head to Antarctica with more than 200 crew. Everyone on the ship underwent a PCR test and they all came back negative.
  • The LSDH-91 Sargento Aldea stayed in Antarctica until December 10, at which point it left to return to Punto Arenas.
  • In Punto Arenas, part of the crew disembarked, two of them tested positive on December 14.
  • On December 16, every crew member still on board underwent another PCR test and a quarantine was imposed as a preventative measure in its homeport of Talcahuano.
  • Meanwhile, several people at the Antarctica base developed symptoms of COVID-19 and 36 test positive.
  • The Chilean military published a press release on December 21 notifying the public about the cases in O’Higgins.
  • The research station was evacuated and disinfected. Those who tested positive were put in quarantine in Punto Arenas.

How the virus got to Antarctica

“My guess — and it is merely that — is that the original infection occurred in Chile prior to departure, or aboard a ship or aircraft during transit to the station, ” Artic specialist Alan Hemmings told Euronews.

“Once there is a single person infected at the station, close quarters and proximity would presumably favour its wider dissemination,” he added.

The continent has no settled inhabitants but up to 1,000 scientists staff the 38 research stations during its winter season.

What impact might the virus have on the continent?

Even before cases were confirmed on the continent, many nations had “already drastically scaled back their science plans for the 2020-21 field season”, according to a research paper published last month in the Antarctic Science journal.

This could lead to remote scientific instruments being at risk of burial from snow accumulation.

“As climate change continues, our understanding of its increasingly dramatic impacts will be held back if crucial monitorial work is interrupted,” the paper notes.

Hemmings told Euronews that “some activity is now underway around the continent.”

“National Antarctic programmes have been quarantining staff and scientists before their departure,” he explained.

The continent is also increasingly a touristic destination with a record 74,401 people visiting in the 2019-2020 summer (from October to February).

The pandemic brought the season to an earlier end than expected as Chile and Argentina, though which most polar tourists transit, restricted access from March and April. Reaching the Antarctic could remain tricky for anyone wanting to experience the Midnight Sun.

“I think that Antarctic tourism will not occur this Antarctic summer. Aside from the risks aboard the ships, and not being welcomed at scientific stations, there are significant problems getting vessels, crews and passengers to the departure ports in the first place, due to international travel constraints and border control,” Hemmings added.



Source link

Tags: euronews
Share30Tweet19Share
Previous Post

Diego Maradona: Autopsy reveals no drink or illegal drugs at time of Argentina legend’s death

Next Post

Over 400,000 Excedrin bottles recalled due to holes in bottoms of bottles, posing child poisoning risk

souhaib

Recommended For You

Euro Drops Down below $.99 for 1st Time in 20 Yrs on Energy Fears

by souhaib
September 5, 2022
0

The euro dropped down below $.99 for the first time in two many years after Russia halted the move of natural fuel. A surge in the dollar piled...

Read more

Euro Drops Beneath $.99 for Initial Time in 20 A long time on Power Fears

by souhaib
September 5, 2022
0

The euro dropped down below $.99 for the 1st time in two a long time following Russia halted the move of pure gasoline. A surge in the greenback...

Read more

Angela Merkel given Moderna as second COVID-19 jab after having AstraZeneca as first injection

by souhaib
June 22, 2021
0

Angela Merkel has received the Moderna vaccine has her second inoculation against COVID-19 having had the AstraZeneca jab as her first dose, the German Chancellor"s office said on...

Read more

German stadiums to display rainbow colours during Hungary match in defiance of UEFA ban

by souhaib
June 22, 2021
0

German stadiums will display rainbow colours during the country"s match against Hungary at the European Championship on Wednesday after UEFA rejected host city Munich's plan to do the...

Read more

Taliban take key Afghan district, adding to string of gains

by souhaib
June 22, 2021
0

Taliban fighters took control of a key district in Afghanistan"s northern Kunduz province on Monday and encircled the provincial capital, police said, as the insurgent group added to...

Read more
Next Post

Over 400,000 Excedrin bottles recalled due to holes in bottoms of bottles, posing child poisoning risk

No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Opinion: Al Cárdenas analyzes the debate between Congress and the White House on raising the debt ceiling | Video
  • The Sao Paulo Stock Exchange rose 3.37% in the first month of Lula’s government By EFE
  • Scottie Pippen Jr, Scooter Henderson and Paolo Banchero are chosen for the 2023 NBA Rising Stars
  • Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Jonas show off their daughter in public
  • Asofom creates Committee for international contribution

Browse by Category

  • Australia
  • Automotive
  • Business
  • Celebrity
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Deals
  • Economie
  • Education
  • Euro
  • Forex
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • News
  • Politics
  • Reviews
  • Sports
  • Switzerland
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Uncategorized

Categories

  • Australia
  • Automotive
  • Business
  • Celebrity
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Deals
  • Economie
  • Education
  • Euro
  • Forex
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • News
  • Politics
  • Reviews
  • Sports
  • Switzerland
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Uncategorized

Pages

  • Contact US
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2021 - TrendsWide

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Contact US
  • Privacy Policy
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Economie
  • Deals
  • Reviews
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA

© 2021 - TrendsWide