Antarctica, the only continent which was still unaffected by COVID-19 has been finally grasped by the virus. Chilean authorities announced that a total of 58 people at two military bases were found to be COVID positive.
No other country with a presence in Antarctica has reported any other cases. These cases also mean that the pandemic has officially infected every continent in the world.
Chilean army confirmed the 58 cases in two separate announcements. On Monday, the army said that 36 people at the Gen Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme Antarctic base tested positive and on Tuesday, the health minister for the Biobio region in Chile said there are 21 infections involving people aboard the Chilean navy’s Sergeant Aldea supply vessel.
The first group of 36 people to be found positive consists of 26 army personnel and 10 civilian employees of a maintenance contract company, the army said.
According to the Navy, all the 208 crewmembers aboard the Sergeant Aldea vessel are being quarantined after the first three people were found to be COVID positive.
The US National Science Foundation, the agency overseeing US programs in Antarctica, said it was aware of the reports of positive cases in passengers aboard the Sergeant Aldea.
“Personnel at US Antarctic Program stations have had no interactions with the Chilean stations in question or the personnel who reside there,” the foundation said. “NSF remains committed to not exchanging personnel or accepting tourists at USAP stations.”
