Coronavirus cases in Colombia pass 900,000

Reuters
·1 min read
A man wearing a protective mask mops a floor at the El Dorado International Airport, amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Bogota

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Coronavirus cases in Colombia topped 900,000 on Saturday, as deaths from COVID-19 closed in on 27,700, the Ministry of Health said.

The Andean country has 902,747 confirmed cases of the virus according to the health ministry, with 27,660 reported deaths. Active cases number 89,925.

Colombia began more than five months of lockdown in March.

The country began a much-looser "selective" quarantine in September which allows dining at restaurants, and international flights. It is expected to last until the end of October.

Concerts and other large events remain banned and land and water borders are closed.

Intensive care units in Bogota, home to almost a third of Colombia's cases, are at about 64% capacity according to local health authorities.

(Reporting by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Chris Reese)