Costa Rica confirmed 86 new cases of the coronavirus over the past day, totaling 2,213 cumulative known cases, the Health Ministry announced Sunday afternoon.
Eighteen more people have been classified as recovered under Costa Rica’s new definitions that qualify certain patients based on time rather than a negative test.
Costa Rica has 1,169 active cases and 1,032 recoveries.
Twelve people have died in Costa Rica after contracting the coronavirus. Twenty-six people are hospitalized with COVID-19, one fewer than Saturday. Four people are in intensive care, one fewer than Saturday.
Health Minister Daniel Salas asked the public to remain responsible during Father’s Day.
“We know it’s a different day, but that doesn’t take away from the love we can express and feel,” Salas said, reminding people to remain in their social bubbles.
Monday, Costa Rica will return to its nationwide “Phase 2” of reopening, except for in the cantons or districts under an orange alert.
The following is allowed in Phase 2: Beaches open from 5-8 a.m. on weekdays; most national parks; hotels and restaurants at 50% capacity; gyms at 50% capacity.
Phase 3, which allows for extended beach hours, religious gatherings, and stores open on weekends, remains suspended. Salas said Costa Rica will ease more restrictions “as soon as possible,” but the decision depends on the pandemic curve.
Locations under an orange alert are as follows:
- The districts of: Peñas Blancas, Los Chiles, Fortuna, Paquera.
- The cantons of: Upala, Pococí, Alajuelita, Desamparados.
In those locations, commercial businesses may only operate Monday to Friday from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., and a weeknight vehicular restriction forbids most driving from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.
International travel non-update
Salas again said that an eventual reopening of Costa Rica to international tourism will be “gradual and controlled,” only allowing visitors from locations with low coronavirus transmission. He did not provide an estimated date on when that could occur.
“We’re not going to open borders and have the same number of flights to Costa Rica compared to before [the pandemic],” Salas said.
Active coronavirus cases in Costa Rica
The below graphic will update automatically when the Health Ministry releases detailed information later this afternoon.
