MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru resumes international flights to seven countries in the region

“A whole sanitary control has been implemented to guarantee that the opening of international flights does not mean an infections risk” said president Vizcarra

Peru resumed international flights on Monday that were suspended in March as part of emergency measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. President Martin Vizcarra led the resumption of flights from the capital Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport, saying health regulations were put in place to combat the risk of infections.

“A whole sanitary control has been implemented to guarantee that the opening of international flights does not mean a risk of increased infections,” he said.

Flights have been resumed to seven countries in the region, but “gradually other destinations will be activated after evaluating the situation,” he added.

Peru is in phase four of the country's economic reactivation following lockdown, a phase that began Oct. 1 as the outbreak declined.

“Our task is to continue containing the pandemic. There have been eight weeks of continuous decline in cases, fewer infections, hospitalizations and deaths,” Vizcarra said.

The health regulations in effect for international flights require incoming and outgoing passengers to show proof they are COVID-19 free with the results of a test taken no more than 72 hours prior to arrival or departure.