No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaCosta Rica up to 113 known cases of coronavirus; municipalities close beaches

Costa Rica up to 113 known cases of coronavirus; municipalities close beaches

Costa Rica has surpassed 100 known cases of the novel coronavirus, reaching 113 confirmed instances, the Health Ministry announced Friday.

The figure marks a 26-person increase over the same time Thursday. It is the largest day-to-day increase since Costa Rica identified its first COVID-19 case on March 6.

The 113 cases comprise 67 men and 46 women, including nine elderly adults. More than 1,000 people have tested negative, and two people with COVID-19 remain in intensive care, the Health Ministry said.

Coronavirus cases in Costa Rica
Tico Times graph.

Two United States citizens became Costa Rica’s first recovered cases, the Health Ministry said. After the husband and wife tested negative twice each, they have been given permission to leave their quarantine and return to their home country.

The next 15 days will determine how severely COVID-19 will impact Costa Rica, Daniel Salas predicted. The Health Minister issued a passionate call for citizens and residents to practice social distancing throughout the weekend and in the upcoming weeks.

Michael Soto, the Public Security Minister, said police will focus this weekend on enforcing the sanitary guidelines issued by the Health Ministry.

Public spaces shuttered; municipalities closing beaches

Municipalities across Costa Rica are closing beaches and public spaces until further notice in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The Municipality of Garabito has closed all its beaches, including Jacó and several of the most popular Pacific destinations in Costa Rica.

The Municipality of Quepos has also closed all beaches until further notice. This includes beaches in and around the popular tourist town of Manuel Antonio.

The Municipality of Osa, in Costa Rica’s Southern Zone, has closed all beaches it administers.

All beaches in the district of Nosara in Nicoya as well as Ostional in Santa Cruz are closed, according to Voz de Guanacaste.

The National Community Development Office (DINADECO) has ordered that “all community infrastructure owned or managed by a community organization must remain closed.” This includes community and children’s parks, sports spaces, community and multipurpose rooms, day centers for the elderly, and outdoor gyms throughout Costa Rica.

All National Parks throughout Costa Rica will close starting Monday.

The Health Ministry has asked citizens and residents to stay home whenever possible this weekend and throughout the coronavirus crisis.

Trending Now

San Jose Airport Achieves Top 5 Global Ranking in Passenger Experience

Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica's main gateway managed by AERIS, has earned the prestigious Level 5 Customer Experience certification from...

FBI Recordings Reveal Costa Rica Ex-Minister Celso Gamboa’s Drug Ties

Costa Rican authorities continue to hold former security minister Celso Gamboa in custody as U.S. officials push for his extradition on drug charges. Recent...

Panama Canal Warns of Traffic Decline as Economic Uncertainty Grows

The Panama Canal will take in about $400 million less in the next fiscal year due to a drop in ship traffic caused by...

Mexico Battles Wildfire Damage with Drone-Based Reforestation

Authorities in the state of Michoacán, in western Mexico, are using drones to scatter seeds from the air in an effort to reforest hundreds...

Costa Rica Anglers Catch Rare Orange and Albino Nurse Shark

Anglers on a fishing trip off Costa Rica's Caribbean coast caught a nurse shark unlike any seen before: bright orange skin and stark white...

Costa Rica’s Role in US Deportation Drama with Salvadoran Migrant

A Salvadoran man at the center of a heated US immigration battle could end up in Costa Rica if he accepts a guilty plea,...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica