This morning, the president of Peru, Martin Vizcarra has announced the first confirmed case of Corona Virus in Peru. A 25 year old Peruvian citizen who arrived back to Lima after having visited Spain, France and the Czech Republic tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The person has been put in quarantine and the necessary measures have been taken to avoid further cases. At this point it is unclear how many and what people the subject has been in contact with but these information should be available in the coming hours.
The government is asking citizens and visitors to take the general health recommendations seriously and to be aware in case one would develop some of the symptoms of the CoronaVirus. Additional check points will be added at international and local airport checking passengers for symptoms such as fever.The president has asked the population to not overreact and to follow the guidelines in order to stop the virus from spreading.
At this point no additional travel restrictions will be put in place and all tourist destinations such as Cusco and Machu Picchu are operating as normal.
As individual travelers, we can also contribute and make sure to apply additional hygiene, especially when traveling and passing through larger passenger hubs. Following some general recommendations;
- Wash your hands frequently
- Maintain social distancing
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
- Practice respiratory hygiene
- If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early
