Peru has a total of 1,043,640 infections and 38,473 deaths from coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic.

Lima, January 14 (RHC)-- Peru reached nearly 3,000 new cases of coronavirus over the last 24 hours on Wednesday, while the government announced new restrictions to contain the increase of the contagion.

The Peruvian Ministry of Health indicated that 2,932 cases were counted and 74 deaths, bringing the total number of infected to 1,043,640 and the number of deaths to 38,473.

In addition, it was reported that 2,374 patients have recovered, increasing to 973,374 the total number of people discharged from a health center or who have complied with their home quarantine.  Peruvian health authorities indicate that active cases in the South American country amounted to 31,793, of which 7,500 are hospitalized.

At a press conference, Peruvian authorities announced that a series of restrictions will be implemented beginning tomorrow, January 15th, to control increased infections during the second wave of the pandemic.

Although a return to full quarantine is not yet contemplated, it was indicated that the regions of Áncash, Ica, Junín, Lambayeque, Piura, Tacna and Lima provinces (except the capital and Callao) will return to full confinement on Sundays beginning January 15th.

In these same regions, the night curfew was extended from 19:00 to 04:00 hours, while for Lima, Callao and ten other regions it will be increased from 21:00 to 04:00 and on Sundays only the circulation of vehicles will be prohibited.

The President of Peru, Francisco Sagasti, stressed that the measures will be reviewed every two weeks according to the evolution of the pandemic in each region.  "We do not want to reach extreme confinement or strict quarantine for everyone, but if the increase of hospitalizations and deaths in some region is not lifted, we will have to get there," he said.