Six tourists in Costa Rica were hospitalized with Covid-19 after their group of 20 tested positive for the virus, the Health Ministry reported Tuesday.
The 20 French tourists entered Costa Rica on January 16 and tested positive on January 24. It was not immediately clear if the Europeans were infected in Costa Rica, or if one or more of them had been infected prior to travel.
The six hospitalized visitors are at San Juan de Dios Hospital in San José. They are the first tourists to require hospitalization since Costa Rica reopened its air borders last August.
During the coronavirus pandemic, all visitors to Costa Rica are required to have medical insurance that covers Covid-19 expenses.
“The Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) informs us that it is already in negotiations with the respective insurer for the collection of services,” the Health Ministry said.
The Health Ministry didn’t provide more information about the age of the tourists, where they had traveled within Costa Rica or their condition. La Nación reports that the hospitalized patients are in stable condition.
