COVID-19 pandemic in Peru

On 12 January, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[7][8]

Unlike the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak, the case fatality ratio for COVID-19[9][10] has been much lower, but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[11][9]

Number of cases (blue) and number of deaths (red) on a logarithmic scale.

On 6 March the first confirmed case in Peru was announced. The person was a 25-year-old Peruvian living in Lima who had recently returned from travels in France, Spain, and the Czech Republic.[1]

On 10 March 2020, 11 cases were confirmed. 7 of the new cases were related to the first known case in Peru.[12] On the following day, two new cases were registered.[13] Due to the global pandemic, the Peruvian government decided to cancel classes in public and private schools, as a precautionary measure until 30 March.[14]

On 15 March, President Martín Vizcarra made a national announcement, declaring a 15-day quarantine effective from 16 March. Putting in place stringent rules 9 days after the first case was seen in the country. There was a sudden ban on all travel between provinces, all travel into and out of the country, and a ban put on place for planes, boats, trains, buses, and private automobiles.[15]

People in Lima wearing facemasks on 16 March

On 16 March, a group of four Mexicans from Tamaulipas who went to Cusco, on vacation could not return to Mexico until 2 April because all flights had been canceled and the borders of Peru were closed.[16] Furthermore, thousands of American, Israeli, Australian, and British tourists trapped mostly in Cusco and Lima were unable to leave the country in the 24 hours between announcement of the quarantine and cessation of all flights. On this day, the President also announced a sum of 380 soles (US$106) would be given to vulnerable families to help while most people are unable to work.[17]

On 17 March, the second full day of quarantine, citizens were required to fill out an online form to obtain permission to leave home.[18] Military paraded the streets of Lima to enforce this, and people were not allowed to walk together. At 8 pm that night through an organized effort, Peruvians and residents in Peru went out to their balconies and windows to applaud the front-line workers such as doctors, the Peruvian Armed Forces, market shop owners, and National Police of Peru to applaud their efforts during the pandemic.[19]

On 18 March, the government tightened the measures of quarantine, implementing a curfew from 8 PM-5 AM where citizens are not allowed to leave their homes. A man who was seen taking out the trash that night was cornered by a dozen police cars and motorcycles, and arrested.[20] Another 153 people in the provinces of Lima and Callao were detained that night for violating curfew.[21]

On 19 March, the Peruvian Ministry of Health (MINSA) was briefed about the first death related to the disease, a 78-year-old man.[22] On the same day, the death toll was updated to 3.[23]

On 20 March, President Vizcarra announced that Minister of Health Elizabeth Hinostroza would be stepping down from her post in favor of Victor Zamora Mesia, who the President stated had more experience in the Public health sector and was more experienced in the face of this pandemic.[24] The President was also quoted as saying that if all citizens respect the quarantine and abide properly by its laws, the state of emergency could be lifted at the end of the 15-day quarantine,[25] a relief in the face of bordering countries such as Chile declaring a 90-day state of emergency. President Vizcarra also issued a decree to convert the Villa Panamericana de Lima, the residential complex used for athletes of 2019 Pan American Games, into hospital facilities with 3,000 beds dedicated for coronavirus patients.[26] The conversion and allocation of medical equipment was performed by the armed forces of Peru.[26]

On 26 March, President Vizcarra made a national announcement that the quarantine would be extended by 13 days, lasting until 12 April.[27] He cited the number of infringements of quarantine, especially in the Department of La Libertad.

On 30 March, the President made further restrictions to the curfew (which was previously 8 pm to 5 am nationwide), extending its start from 4 pm for departments of La Libertad, Loreto, Piura, and Tumbes, and a start of 6 pm for the rest of the country to further limit movement. As a response, grocery stores which were open until 4 pm before now close at 3 pm. As of this date, there were 950 positive tests, 24 deaths, 49 patients in the ICU, and 37 on mechanical ventilation.[28]

A member of the Peruvian Army with a police dog enforces curfew on 31 March 2020

On 2 April, the President made a live announcement to the country that for the remaining 10 days of quarantine, they would add one more restriction to flatten the curve. Mobilization outside of the house will be limited by days. Only men will be able to leave the house to buy groceries, medicines, or go to the bank on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.[29] Only women are allowed outside on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. No one is allowed on Sunday. These restrictions are to allow easy identification by police and military (rather than others that require more precise identification, such as even and odd numbers of each person's DNI number), and to reduce circulation by 50%.[30] Wearing of masks in public was officially declared compulsory, although it was a rule enforced by police and military for a few weeks up to this announcement.[31] As of 31 March, there were 1,414 positive cases, 189 hospitalized patients, and 51 in the ICU.

On 3 April, the government announced that all foreigners currently in Peru will automatically have their visa extended until the end of the state of emergency is over. Once the quarantine is lifted, all international tourists will have 45 days to leave the country. As of this date, the United States Department of State announced they had repatriated over 4,680 Americans through flights chartered from Washington Dulles airport to Lima and Cusco.[32]

On 7 April, President Vizcarra announced that for Holy Week, Thursday and Friday there will be no one allowed to leave home for regular business.

On 8 April, President Vizcarra once again extended the quarantine by 2 weeks, until 26 April. On this day, the Ministry of Health confirmed the first death due to coronavirus of a medical personnel working in the front lines of the pandemic. This occurred in the San Juan de Lurigancho district of Lima, and only his initials W.A.B.C. were released.[33]

On 10 April, President Vizcarra renounced the previously proposed gender rotation, and reinstated that only one member of a household can leave the home per week, from Monday through Saturday.[34] This was partly attributed to days that women were permitted to leave culminated in long lines and crowded supermarkets, causing a difficulty in maintaining social distancing guidelines.[35][36] It also allowed for the creation of viral memes of men who were then asked to do grocery shopping for the household.[35]

On 22 April, representatives and the dean from the Medical College of Peru met with the Víctor Zamorra, the Minister of Health, proposing to extend the quarantine by at least two more weeks.[37] There are a total of 237 doctors infected by coronavirus in the country, of whom 9 are being treated in the ICU. Of the doctors infected, 69 of them are in Lima, and 62 are in Iquitos.[38]

On 23 April, President Vizcarra announced the extension of quarantine and the state of emergency 2 more weeks until 10 May. He made reference that people's practices of social distancing, wearing masks when in public, and hesitation of gathering in large groups must be continued on for much longer even after the state of emergency ends.[39]

On 3 May, the Government of Peru published a legislative decree, which stipulates the gradual re-opening of the economy in four stages. The first stage of the recovery, which will start in May, will enable certain restaurants to offer on-site pick-up and home delivery services. In addition, during the first stage, limited hotel and tourist transportation services will be allowed. The full text of the legislative decree is available in Spanish[40]

On 8 May, President Vizcarra announced the decision to extend the State of Emergency until Sunday 24 May. It was indicated, between the National Police and the Armed Forces, There will be 150,000 troops on the streets, enforcing the measures ordered. The Head of State reported that, as of Monday, 11 May, the immobilization mandatory social will be from 8 at night. This will allow attention in banks and markets is extended, which will reduce concentrations of people. The modification in the schedule will not apply to the Loreto, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Tumbes and Piura, where the restriction will continue to be implemented from 4 in the afternoon. Starting Monday, the 18th of this month, children up to the age of 14 will be allowed - accompanied by an adult - to go out for 30 minutes as exercise up to no more than 500 meters from their homes.[41]

On 11 May, there was a national mandate requiring the use of masks and gloves inside of supermarkets. The use of masks had been compulsory since the beginning of the country's lockdown on 17 March, and the mandatory use of gloves had been implemented by independent districts and markets over the past week.[42] Later during the day, however, the Minister of Health Víctor Zamorra announced that the national mandate of the use of gloves will be in revision, and in the afternoon announced that it will no longer be compulsory, citing it as an administrative error.[43]

Quarantine Extension: Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra announced today, 22 May, that Peru's state of emergency and quarantine measures will remain in effect through 11:59 pm on Tuesday, 30 June.[44]

By 26 May, around 85% of ICU beds with ventilators were occupied, despite strict measures like curfews and border closings. Medical experts have commented that the severity of the outbreak in Peru can be explained at least in part by economic circumstances. Many residents have to travel daily to markets to purchase food because only 49% of households own refrigerators or freezers; even in urban areas it is only 61%. Banks have experienced crowding as relief recipients without bank accounts had to go in person to get their stimulus money.[45]

• COVID-19 pandemic by country
• COVID-19 pandemic in South America