Costa Rica confirmed just two new cases of the coronavirus over the past day, totaling 662 known cases, the Health Ministry announced Monday afternoon.
Over the same period, 12 more people have recovered from COVID-19, meaning Costa Rica has registered its fourth-straight decrease in known active coronavirus cases.
Costa Rica has added 20 or fewer known cases in 17 of the last 18 days. Monday’s two-person increase is the smallest day-over-day rise since March 14.
Thirteen people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 — eight of them in intensive care. The age range of those in intensive care is from 44 to 75 years old.
Six people have died after contracting COVID-19, including two people over the last 24 hours. One-hundred twenty-four people have recovered, leaving Costa Rica with 532 active cases.
The majority of Costa Rica’s known coronavirus cases are located in the provinces of San José and Alajuela. Below is a map of confirmed cases by canton. Click on a blue marker for more information, including the number of recovered people in that canton:
Because Costa Rica doesn’t produce its own PCR-based kits, it doesn’t have the capacity to conduct large-scale COVID-19 testing. However, the country has begun performing randomized tests on patients with respiratory symptoms nationwide to check for community transmission.
All 141 tests from last week returned negative, according to the Health Ministry. Costa Rica hopes to perform 200 of these sentinel tests each week.
Costa Rica has processed a total of 10,879 tests and can conduct up to 600 tests each day.
Everyone should continue abiding by social distancing guidelines.
“The vast majority of us have not been exposed to the virus,” said Health Minister Daniel Salas. “This leaves us all still in a vulnerable position. We are walking on eggshells that could break at any moment.”
If you believe you may have contracted COVID-19 or have questions regarding the coronavirus, contact Costa Rican health authorities by dialing 1322.
Timeline of COVID-19 in Costa Rica
- March 6: Costa Rica confirms first COVID-19 case.
- March 9: Costa Rica suspends mass gatherings, tells employees to work from home.
- March 16: Costa Rica declares State of Emergency, restricts entry to non-citizens
- and non-residents. In-person teaching suspended.
- March 18: Costa Rica reports first COVID-19-related death.
- March 20: Costa Rica reports second COVID-19-related death. All national parks close.
- March 23: Beaches and religious centers ordered to close. Nighttime driving ban announced.
- March 31: Costa Rica inaugurates coronavirus-specific hospital at CENARE.
- April 4-12: Costa Rica imposes significant travel restrictions during Semana Santa.
- April 15: Costa Rica reports fourth COVID-19-related death.
- April 17: Costa Rica registers first day-over-day decrease in known coronavirus cases. This trend continues on April 18, 19 and 20.
- April 19: Costa Rica reports fifth COVID-19-related death.
- April 20: Costa Rica reports sixth COVID-19-related death.
Last Monday marked the beginning of Costa Rica’s new nationwide driving restrictions, which will last through the end of April. Click here for full details.
Most flights to and from Costa Rica have ceased. Click here for the latest information about U.S. repatriation flights.
Datos actualizados al día de hoy, 20 de abril del 2020, sobre el COVID-19 en Costa Rica. pic.twitter.com/OW3b7pzFMj
— Ministerio de Salud de Costa Rica (@msaludcr) April 20, 2020
