Thirteen Covid Infections Reported at Colombia’s Presidential Palace

HAVANA TIMES – Thirteen Covid-19 cases have been confirmed at Colombia’s presidential palace, local media on Friday quoted the palace as saying, reported dpa news.

Those infected comprised five officials of the administrative department of Narino House, which is the official home and main workplace of the president, as well as eight security personnel.

President Ivan Duque and employees closest to him tested negative for the virus.

The administrative department said it was obeying presidential instructions that allow national public institutions to only have 20 per cent of their staff come to work, while the rest work from home.

Duque on Thursday extended the country’s two-month nationwide quarantine until the end of June, though the economy continues being reactivated and restrictions on outdoor leisure activities will be relaxed.

The pandemic has hit one of Latin America’s biggest economies hard.

The number of unemployed people increased to 4.08 million in April, up 1.56 million from the same month last year, the National Administrative Department of Statistics said on Friday.

Colombia has confirmed more than 25,000 novel coronavirus infections and over 820 deaths.