BOGOTA: Colombia’s capital Bogota will lift tough restrictions and a city-wide red alert against COVID-19 on Wednesday, Mayor Claudia Lopez said on Tuesday, having overcome the peak of a second wave of coronavirus infections.
Surging infections in the new year following celebrations in December saw intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy rates rise above 94%, prompting Lopez to impose curbs on movement, neighborhood quarantines, and nightly curfews.
ICU occupancy rates for patients with coronavirus have since fallen to 81%, according to local government figures.
“We have passed the peak of the second wave of COVID-19. With this favorable trend we will be able to lift the red alert and zonal quarantines from tomorrow and get back to business,” Lopez said in a message on Twitter.
“This afternoon we will announce how we will proceed.”
Restrictions in Bogota, which has more than 8 million inhabitants, delayed children returning to schools and caused setbacks for economic recovery…