Chile's armed forces said at least 36 people had been infected at its Bernardo O'Higgins base, including 26 army personnel and 10 civilian contractors conducting maintenance at the base. The permanently staffed research station, operated by Chile's army, lies near the tip of a peninsula in northernmost Antarctica, overlooking a bay often dotted with icebergs. But an uptick in travel to and from the region this spring and early summer have heightened infection risk. An Army press officer said the first Covid-19 cases had been reported in mid-December, when two soldiers fell ill. Much of the area, blasted by cold winds off the ocean, mountains and glaciers, has been under quarantine restrictions for months.

Source: Dhaka Tribune December 23, 2020 02:26 UTC