Okay, it’s actually been up for a couple of weeks, but I’ve not shared anything about it due to other concerns in my life right now that I have to deal with, but considering this morning’s news about extending the state of emergency, it seemed appropriate to share as much as is known — which isn’t much — since the government is once again silent on a major, but apparently flawed, Decree.
You can read about the news in the News -> COVID and Health News section. (I’ll be adding a lengthy, detailed summary of the COVID situation in Peru after a year in a half in the next day or so.)
Also, much as I’ve done here, there’s already a lot of stuff posted in the four News sections.
The other sections are going to take time to fill in, but I’m working on it daily. Please feel free to let me know what you think.
I hope you sign up for the subscribe to the new site as well, but I’m not going to transfer emails because I want it to be your choice. Just as with this site, the purpose is 100% about sharing.
Here’s the home page link: PeruTravelandLife.com
Category Archives: Uncategorized
COVID in Peru and Cusco Through the First Half of 2021
I haven’t been posting about what is happening with COVID in Peru, but I still track all the data published each day by Peru’s Ministry of Health (Minsa) and Cusco’s Regional Health Directorate (Diresa).
Through the first six months of year, Peru has fully vaccinated more than 3 million people (with an additional over 4.4 million having received their first dose according to Minsa) and the numbers continue to rise with the next round of vaccinations for people 50 and older starting soon. Undoubtedly vaccinations have resulted in huge decreases in hospitalizations (including those under ICU care) and deaths.
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND ICU CARE IN PERU
Thanks to Peru’s vaccination program that generally is working quite successfully while increasing the number of vaccines coming into the country each month the number of people needing hospitalization has been on a continual decrease for month now.
Another extremely welcome sign is that the number of being in ICU units is also dropping. For months ICU beds across the country were full and the number only changed as more beds were added which immediately filled with waiting patients.
As everywhere across the world, the positive effect of vaccinations is clearly evident.
COVID DEATHS IN PERU
The second phase of COVID in Peru saw devastating rises in deaths reaching horrible numbers of deaths each day. (One week during April saw an average of 378 COVID-related deaths a day!)
In the past month, Peru saw an average of 160 deaths a day — a number that dropped to 108 a day over the last week of June.
POSITIVITY RATES OF TESTING IN PERU
Easily the most encouraging and surprising data has been the massive drop in testing positivity rates. The number of people testing positive has been under 7% for over 2 weeks now and has hovered around 6% for the past week. These are numbers not seen since the very start of pandemic back in March, 2020.
COVID IN CUSCO
Cusco has suffered through a terrible time during the second phase of the pandemic through 2021, but finally is showing signs of improvement.
The region’s highly effective vaccination programs for people 60 and older has made a huge difference as has the population’s generally very high compliance with mask-wearing. (It’s extremely common to see people wearing two masks.)
{NOTE: As of this morning, we’re still waiting on an announcement as to when vaccinations for people over 50 will begin. This should start very soon.]
COVID-related deaths was consistently over 20 a day in the region for many weeks during the height of the second wave, but now has dropped to 8.9 over the last week of June. (Over the last 5 days, the average was down to 7 deaths a day.)
Positivity rates of testing still remains extremely high, but also is showing a steady decline.
WHAT LIES AHEAD
Epidemiologists warn that Peru faces a possible third wave. The recent appearance of the highly transmissible and more deadly Delta variant in both Arequipa and Lima are extremely concerning. DNA testing is currently underway for samples submitted from across the country of suspected cases of the Delta variant, but Peru’s testing facilities are still overwhelmed and getting results takes time.
An additional 497,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrived in Peru last night and will be distributed across the country to allow regions to complete vaccination of those 60+ and will allow them to begin vaccinations of people over 50 years of age.
Fortunately, studies are showing that the Pfizer vaccine is quite effective against the Delta variant, too. (Unlike with other variants, a single dose doesn’t provide much protection, but two doses are highly effective.)
Unfortunately, the longer it takes to get the population vaccinated, the more likely that new variants will mutate that may have greater resistance to current vaccines. Sadly, anti-vaccination proponents continue to spread false information which causes people to die who don’t have to die.
National Transportation Strike Shuts Down Much of Peru
The National Guild of Transporters and Drivers (GNTC) of Peru called for an indefinite strike starting yesterday in demand of the fuel hike, toll payment hike, vaccination of drivers, road improvement nationwide, etc.
According to the Peruvian National Police (PNP), the Panamericana Sur was interrupted in several stretches in the regions of Ica, Arequipa and Tacna; the Panamericana Norte, in Lima, Ancash, La Libertad, Piura and Tumbes; and in the Central highway the same happened in Junin and the eastern part of Lima.
This morning RPP Noticias reports that the Minister of Transport and Communications (MTC), Eduardo Gonzalez, said out that the government has put forward proposals that “allow immediate solutions to the problems and claims” presented by the union.
Gonzales said that in the meeting held yesterday with the transport leaders “there were two major issues…One related to the price of diesel, and the other to the claim for the return of the selective consumption tax”, he said.
Gonzalez urged the union to keep the roads free to guarantee the passage of vehicles and those transporting oxygen and vaccines. “We have to respect the right of the people to have to circulate on the roads of the country”, he said.
The meeting was also attended by the Vice Ministers of Transport, Economy, Hydrocarbons and Governance and Territorial Ordering of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM).
The strike against the fuel hike is felt hard in the Cusco Region where hundreds of protesters blocked the main access and exit roads throughout the region with various types of objects including vehicles, large rocks, tires, and even old televisions and microwaves.
“The protesters use whatever they find at hand to block the roads: sticks, stones, in this case recycled things; in previous years they have even put junk vehicles and other old things on the roads, let’s just hope that when they finish with their protest they pick up everything they used”, said according to PNP Colonel Alejandro Castillo, chief of the Cusco Police Region.
Castillo told Diario Correo that so far there have been no clashes with the demonstrators, except for a brawl and tire punctures with carriers who did not join the protest measure. “Although they have the right to protest, other people also have the right to transit. Fortunately this has been understood so far and there are no major clashes,” he said.
The most pronounced blockades are registered at the Espinar Bridge (Espinar), Arturo de Sicuani Bridge (Canchis), Combapata Bridge, Cruzcunca and San Pedro, also in Canchis.
It should be noted that the strike of transporters joins the demonstrations carried out by coca growers of La Convención Valley in Cusco, who are claiming for the lack of purchase or purchase at low prices of coca leaf by the state-owned company Enaco.
In Arequipa, hundreds of people walked several kilometers to reach their destination. The road from Puno was one of the most blocked by protesters who went from the Añasahuayco bridge to the district of Yura to place stones or burn tires. These pickets were set up along the highway. The entrance to the city of units coming from Cusco and Puno was impossible since 8:30 yesterday morning. Many residents joined in, demanding a reduction in the cost of domestic gas. “Food, gas, everything is going up. This affects us,” said a housewife from the Asociación Héroes de la Breña.
The residents of Cono Norte were also affected. There was no urban traffic in the area and they had to walk to reach their homes. Interprovincial buses were stopped for several hours in different stretches, such as Añashuayco, the Cuidad Municipal intersection and meters from the entrance to APIPA.
Kilometer 48 of the Panamericana Sur was another protest point. Truck drivers left their heavy vehicles on both sides of the road. Only private vehicles were allowed to pass. At the La Joya intersection a group of motorcycle taxi drivers also blocked the road. Residents joined them asking for a reduction in the price of domestic gas. Cab drivers also held marches in the city.
Teofilo Sanchez, Union of Truck Drivers of Arequipa, said that the strike will continue today because they only addressed the point of fuel reduction. “We are waiting for PetroPéru’s proposal”, he said.
In Puno, the transporter Patricio Muñuicio, is thinking of turning to another line of business. “This situation is desperate. Gas is going up and it is affecting our homes. Fuel is going up and it also affects us,” he said. His colleagues took the main roads in and out of the region.
In Ilave, protestors took the international bridge that connects them with Bolivia. In Puno, there was no connection with the southern and northern provinces. In Juliaca, motorcycle taxi drivers closed the roads and prevented traffic.
In Melgar, Azángaro, Putina, heavy cargo transport drivers, interprovincial transport, and urban service, came out to protest. “Before the gallon of oil cost 10.40 soles. Now we are paying 15 soles. People have no money,” said Muñuico.
The general secretary of urban transport workers, Estanislao Alegre, expressed his discomfort because gasoline has increased by almost five soles in the last three months. “It is an increase of almost 30% in that short time,” he said.
There were around 400 units in Tacna that were stationed in the main avenues of the city. Bladimir Ale, from his unit, maintained that the strike did not come about overnight. “Like fuel, tolls also went up”, he said. The representative of the Unión de Transportistas de Carga Pesada, Dante Morales, pointed out that they are demanding the removal of the Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Gonzales, for not responding to their demands.
MTC Extends Suspension of Flights from Europe and Brazil
Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) extended through March 14 the suspension of flights from destinations with a duration of more than 8 hours, as well as those coming from Brazil.
This was established by Ministerial Resolution Nº 174-2021-MTC/01 published today in the Bulletin of Legal Norms of the Official Gazette El Peruano.
The MTC also continued the policy that passengers on domestic flights departing from provinces classified at extreme risk level must present a negative molecular or antigen test.
Passengers on domestic flights departing from the airports of Huánuco (Huánuco), Ayacucho (Huamanga), Moquegua (Ilo), Loreto (Maynas), Tacna (Tacna) and Callao to other regions of the country must present a negative test result issued within 72 hours prior to the flight.
Children under 12 years of age are exempted from presenting these clinical analyses. They will only be required to present a medical certificate of good health in order to be able to board.
New Promotion for Cusco’s “Boleto Turístico”
A new “Two for One” promotion was announced yesterday for the Boleto Turístico (tourist ticket) for entrance to archaeological sites in the Cusco region.
The promotion was announced through a statement published by the Committee of Integrated Cultural Tourism Services Cusco COSITUC.
The promotion applies to operators, agencies, tour guides and visitors.
Two for one tickets go on sale today and are effective beginning on Monday (January 11) and lasting through January and February. The cost for a single ticket was 130 soles prior to the start of the COVID pandemic and likely remains the same thought this has not been reported.
Tickets will be issued ONLY at the offices of the Deconcentrated Direction of Culture in Cusco on Calle Maruri Street 340. (This office is located across from ScotiaBank and is also the office where Machu Picchu tickets can be purchased.)
During this promotion, tickets will not be available for purchase in the archaeological parks.
A list of open sites that are included was not available. At least one — the Pachacuteq Monument — was not open as of a few days ago and I believe not all of the museums have been open as well. I will try to check on this and will update when I have more information.
This is a list of the sites that had previously been open prior to the COVID pandemic:
- Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman including Qenqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay)
- Archaeological Park of Pisac
- Ollantaytambo Archaeological Park
- Archaeological Park of Chinchero
- Archaeological Park of Tipon
- Archaeological Park of Moray
- Pikillaqta Archaeological Park
- Contemporary Art
- Museum of Regional Historical Art
- Qorikancha Site Museum
- Pachacuteq Museum
Rio Urubamba near Machu Picchu is Rising Rapidly
Diario Correo is reporting that, due to the flooding of the rivers in the district of Machu Picchu (Cusco), the Risk Management Office of the Municipality of Machu Picchu activated the early warning system for possible dangers, in order to provide permanent monitoring of the flow of the Alcamayo, Aguas Calientes, and Vilcanota rivers. (The Vilcanota is also known as the Urubamba.)
The mayor of the district, Darwin Baca, confirmed the implementation of the system with 21 people in charge of monitoring the level of each river, flow, turbidity, odor and noise 24 hours a day as they cross the district of Machu Picchu and its communities that are on alert due to the increase in flow before the constant rainfall.
The local authority specified that the people in charge of the control have a communication system through UHF radios and repeaters with Hustler antennas, which guarantee timely information for any eventuality that may occur during the rainy season.
He added that his office has arranged for the permanent alert of the Risk Management personnel and officials of the local municipality and the approval of the contingency plan for these cases.
Mandatory Quarantine for Arriving International Visitors
January 1 – People entering Peru from any country of origin must now comply with a mandatory quarantine for 14 days starting Monday, January 4, 2021, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“As of January 4, 2021, the mandatory quarantine for a period of 14 calendar days, counted from the arrival to the national territory, for all Peruvians, foreign residents in Peru and foreign visitors who enter the national territory by international transportation, regardless of the country of origin,” according to Supreme Decree Nº 207-2020-PCM.
In addition, the supreme decree indicates that Peruvians, foreign residents, and visitors will carry out the quarantine at their home, in the Pan American Village or other temporary isolation center, or in a lodging with prior coordination with the health authorities.
The Decree also ordered that persons entering the country between January 1 and 3, 2021, from countries where new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been identified, such as the United Kingdom and South Africa, will be given the antigen test for the elimination of COVID-19 on the same day they arrive in Peru.
Those coming from a different destination will be tested for the antigen at random.
Tambopata Reserve Opens!
Starting Thursday (November 26) activities and visits to the main nature tourism attraction in the Madre de Dios region, the Tambopata National Reserve, will be progressively resumed after the successful implementation of biosecurity measures that will guarantee the health of visitors, tour operators and personnel working in this protected natural area.
This includes the extremely popular Lago Sandoval destination about 45 minutes down the Madre de Dios River from Puerto Maldonado.
The reactivation of these activities is carried out through a joint effort between the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (Sernanp), an agency attached to the Ministry of Environment, the Regional Government of Madre de Dios and various local actors, in order to provide all measures to reduce the risk of transmission and spread of COVID-19.
The head of Sernanp, Pedro Gamboa, emphasized that the reopening of this protected natural area for tourism provides economic and social development opportunities for the benefit of the entire Madre de Dios region and its inhabitants. Likewise, he highlighted that this restart of activities is carried out by implementing all the biosecurity measures to safeguard not only the health of the visitors but also of the personnel who receive them. “And for this, tour operators have a fundamental role in ensuring respect and compliance with these measures,” he added.
“Our objective is that Madre de Dios be known for its invaluable natural wealth represented in its protected areas such as the Tambopata National Reserve which attracts close to 80% of the tourists that visit this region,” said Luis Hidalgo Okimura, regional governor of Madre de Dios, who also indicated that the next challenge is to obtain the seal of safe tourism that generates greater confidence in the visitors.
With the resumption of activities in this natural protected area, the process for its recognition with the “Destino Bioseguro” seal also begins, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) with which it certifies the tourist destinations that comply with the proper implementation of sanitary measures before the Covid-19, recognizing them as safe zones for visitors.
The Tambopata National Reserve represents one of the main sources of economic development in Madre de Dios, attracting more than 80% of the total number of visitors that arrive to this region each year. Therefore, its reopening will allow the regional and local economy to be dynamic, mainly benefiting the actors that are part of the tourism chain. Currently, there are 44 strategic allies among companies and local people who carry out sustainable tourism and collaborate in the management of the protected natural area.
With Lago Sandoval as the most visited tourist sector, it is in this area, along with the Alto Tambopata sector, where priority was given to protection and biosecurity equipment, as well as the maintenance and conditioning of infrastructure (lookouts, trails, stairways, control and surveillance posts).
Where to get a PCR COVID test in Peru
(Thanks to Gloria Chan for proving this extremely useful information.)
If you need a PCR test for COVID-19, here are the laboratories where it can be done as reported by the Ministry of Health:
Peru’s President Removed from Office
The Peruvian Congress just removed President Martin Vizcarra on charges that he received bribes when he served as regional governor of Moquegua (2011-2014) for the Lomas de Ilo irrigation and Moquegua Regional Hospital projects.
In tonight’s vote there were 105 votes in favor of vacating the Presidency, 19 against, and 12 abstentions.
The President of Congress, Manuel Merino de Lama, called for a Congress meeting tomorrow at 10:00 am at which time Merino will be sworn in as the new President of Peru. (This was a late night change from the originally scheduled 5 pm ceremony.)
Later in the evening President Vizcarra said he would not take action against Congress’ vote and left the Presidential Palace.
[I strongly encourage everyone to stay home — especially in Lima — just to be safe as rioting is possible.]
The Archbishop of Lima, Monsignor Carlos Castillo, criticized Congress for approving the vacancy of President Martin Vizcarra. “We are in need of people who have sanity, wisdom and see strategically the needs of the whole country,” he said in RPP.
“I call on you to rectify the measure you have taken. What can they do if they can’t even handle national representation? We need people who have sanity, wisdom, and see strategically the needs of the whole country,” he said during an interview with RPP’s Conexión program.
Monsignor Carlos Castillo lamented that this political crisis is being crossed by “anger, jealousy and aggressions against each other”, in reference to the confrontation between the Executive and the Parliament.
The Archbishop of Lima considered that, after the presidential vacancy, the country could live a “very unstable period” at a time when Peruvians face great challenges, such as the fight against the new coronavirus pandemic and the celebration of the general elections next year.
The Archbishop of Lima wondered if the current head of Parliament, Manuel Merino, who would take over as the new president, “will have the capacity to handle” the dramatic economic and health crisis that is hitting the country.
“We are entering a chaotic process towards the elections and we even have the possibility that they will delay it, just when we wanted more stability,” he lamented.
The governor of Tumbes, Wilmer Dios Benites, called on all citizens to salute democracy and respect governance.
“Democracy has made it possible to obtain 105 votes in favor, therefore, democracy allows for the existence of governability? we as governors, me especially, have been supporting governability,” he said.
Dios Benites said he hopes that Manuel Merino De Lama, also from Tumbes, can fulfill important suspended projects for this region. He said that, although the time left for the next presidential term is short, the population has many expectations.
Likewise, Benites said that in view of this measure there will be delays due to possible ministerial changes.
The regional governor of Cusco, Jean Paul Benavente Garcia, showed his disagreement with the decision of the majority of the Congress of the Republic that approved the vacancy of the president, Martin Vizcarra, because this would generate instability and the postponement of development projects.
“We have to pass this stage of instability and we want to evaluate what the future scenario is…we have always pointed out, that there should not be a vacancy before July 28, but now we will also evaluate, how within the framework of the law we proceed as regional authorities”.
The governor of Cusco said that the decision of Congress is contrary to that of the majority of Peruvians, and said he hoped that the vacancy would not be synonymous with the postponement of the 2021 elections.
The authority asked the citizens to remain calm so as not to generate any damage during possible protests in the country.
The mayor of Huamanga province, Yuri Gutiérrez, told RPP that he supports the democratic system and asked the population to remain calm and stable in the face of this situation.
Gutiérrez said that he is surprised by the performance of the congressmen and hopes that the transition of command will take place in the best conditions and that the next government will be within the reach of the majorities.
The mayor of Huamanga indicated that in these 200 years of history the country has had problems of anarchy, short regimes, dictatorships and all kinds of problems, and for this reason it is necessary that the population, as voters, assume their political and civic responsibility.
The provincial mayor of Acobamba, Rolando Vargas, in the Huancavelica region considered that the vacancy of the president, Martin Vizcarra, approved in the plenary session of Congress, will harm the advanced projects and the budget designation.
Vargas pointed out that the local and regional authorities will be the most harmed because the possible changes of ministers will delay the advance of the technical files.
The mayor of Acobamba added that one of the main projects that was advancing was to provide drinking water and sewage for his province.