The covid reached Antarctica, where an outbreak developed at the Belgian science base Princesse Elisabeth. The first case, Le Soir said, developed on December 14 within a team that arrived seven days earlier. But despite all precautions, the infection has now spread to 16 of the 25 residents of the polar station. Reached by the BBC, Joseph Cheek of the International Polar Foundation, assured that “the situation is not dramatic”.
All the people present in the polar base are vaccinated and the symptoms of the infected are mild. “There is also the problem of quarantine for those who have caught the virus, this has not had a particular impact on the work in general,” said Cheek, noting that none of those present asked to leave despite there being a flight available on the 12th. January. Two doctors are on duty at the station and new arrivals have been blocked for now.