Covid-19 spreads to Antarctica with outbreak of 58 cases

The outbreak appears to be centred aboard a supply ship from Chile.

Matthias Ang | December 23, 2020, 11:59 AM

The last continent to be free of Covid-19 has recorded its first outbreak of cases with 58 infections, the Associated Press(AP) reported.

Outbreak centred on supply ship?

Thus far, 36 cases have been recorded at the Chilean Gen. Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme military base, located on the Antarctic peninsula, with 26 military personnel and 10 maintenance workers infected.

An additional 21 cases were recorded aboard the Chilean Navy's supply vessel named Sergeant Aldea, which serviced the base between November 27 and December 10.

Of these 21 cases, three were detected on the ship prior to the outbreak at the base, the BBC and Reuters reported.

One more case was also recorded at the Chilean Las Estrellas' village in Antarctica.

The country's regional health secretary for the Magallanes area, which includes the Antarctic, highlighted that the Sergeant Aldea had also docked at the village, which serves as living quarters for civilians working at a nearby airbase.

Supply ship quarantined

As such, all 208 members of the Sergeant Aldea have since been quarantined aboard the ship.

Meanwhile, the 36 cases of Covid-19 at the Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme base have been evacuated back to Chile.

Other countries with research stations and bases in the Antarctic have also taken note of the outbreak.

The U.S. National Science Foundation, which oversees American operations in the Antarctic, highlighted that it was committed to having zero contact with tourists or personnel from other countries.

It was quoted by AP as saying:

"Personnel at U.S. Antarctic Program stations have had no interactions with the Chilean stations in question or the personnel who reside there."

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