The Colombian government is offering the free “CoronApp Colombia” for download on Android devices, and toll free information lines (within Colombia): 01-800 095-5590 or for Bogotá: 330 5041. International callers may dial +57 1 330-5041

The 34 year old man from Buga and the 50 year old woman from Medellín presented symptoms and sought health attention, where they were tested positive for the infection. Both patients are said to be in stable condition and epidemiological protocols have been established to contact and test those who may have come into contact with the patients.

Virus arrival coincides with new health minister appointment

The day before the health ministry confirmed the virus in Colombia, President Ivan Duque (above, left) swore in a new health minister after the previous official resigned in December. The new health minister, Dr. Fernando Ruíz Gomez (above, right) is a medical doctor and also holds a masters degree in economics, and one in public health, as well as a doctorate in public health.

Dr. Ruíz was vice minister of public health and social protection in Colombia from 2013 to 2016 during the Santos administration, and also served as regional health director for Bogotá.

Authorities urge that one of the most effective means of prevention is to wash hands thoroughly and frequently.

The young woman arrived without symptoms but after a coed in Mexico showed signs of infection, she went to give samples for analysis which eventually turned up positive for the virus. Though 3 Colombians have been confirmed to be infected in Brazil and Japan, and there have been several suspected cases on Colombian territory that tested negative, this is the first case confirmed as positive. Several other Colombian travelers are being held in quarantine in Bogotá until their status can be confirmed.

Out of 105,828 global cases of Coronavirus, there is only 1 confirmed case in Colombia as of publication. (Infographic courtesy of Colombian Ministry of Health)

Meanwhile air travel, meetings, and street traffic continues as normal throughout Colombia, albeit with a small but noticeable minority of people wearing respiratory masks.

Last Friday, the Colombian Minister of Health and Social Protection Fernando Ruiz Gómez met with regional secretaries of health, EPS (employee health plan providers), IPS (health services providers such as clinics), insurers, and medical associations to establish and coordinate a response plan to Coronavirus, and activate contingency plans developed over the past 8 weeks.

Colombia is now one of 96 countries that have confirmed Coronavirus cases, including China, Romania, Italy, the US, México, Ecuador, Brazil, Chile, Peru & Canada.

Medical experts say that Coronavirus is most frequently propagated from human to human through cough droplets and respiratory tract excretions and may also be transmitted by close human contact or fecal contamination. The virus is believed to have propagated from animals to human, and there have been cases reported of dogs catching the virus from humans.