- Title: Domestic flights take off again as Peru battles coronavirus crisis
- Date: 15th July 2020
- Summary: CALLAO, PERU (JULY 15, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS IN LINE TO ENTER JORGE CHAVEZ AIRPORT FOR DOMESTIC FLIGHTS VARIOUS OF SECURITY GUARDS SCREENING PEOPLE ENTERING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PASSENGER ON PERUVIAN DOMESTIC FLIGHT, ABEL ACOSTA, SAYING: "I'm excited because it feels like the first time I'll be flying My whole life I've always traveled by airplane, but I'm also emotional to return to my land and see my people again." LINE OF PEOPLE TO ENTER AIRPORT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PASSENGER ON PERUVIAN DOMESTIC FLIGHT, ABEL ACOSTA, SAYING: "I'm not scared anymore (of coronavirus), it's more a happiness to see my family there." PASSENGERS IN LINE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PASSENGER ON PERUVIAN DOMESTIC FLIGHT, VALERIA HUERTA, SAYING: "I'm scared of getting infected, (or) that they change my flight, that I'll be delayed. Because, I'm here in Lima for work. Unfortunately, I had to spend the quarantine here in Lima and I have a lot of things waiting for me in Cusco. I'm from Cusco." EXTERIOR OF AIRPORT
- Embargoed: 29th July 2020 17:55
- Keywords: Flights Lima Peru cases coronavirus deaths domestic lifting lockdown outbreak oxygen pandemic quarantine restrictions travel
- Location: CALLAO, HUANUCO, AREQUIPA & LIMA, PERU
- City: CALLAO, HUANUCO, AREQUIPA & LIMA, PERU
- Country: Peru
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001CMX92YV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Domestic flights took off from Lima's main airport on Wednesday (July 15) even as the country continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
The first commercial passenger flights in months began taking off at 6:55 a.m. at Jorge Chavez airport to destinations across the country including tourist mecca Cusco.
But, flights remain prohibited to seven of the country's regions due to ongoing outbreaks of the highly contagious coronavirus.
Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra's government has eased restrictions this month to allow economic growth to revive in the Andean nation of 33 million people.
Peru's economy crashed 32.75% in May versus the same period a year earlier, the South American country's government said on Wednesday, the third straight month of contraction due to the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
But, health experts fear a potential flare-up in coronavirus cases with more people on the streets as the lockdown eases.
Peru has one of the highest rates of coronavirus infections in South America. The country currently ranks 5th in the world for COVID-19 cases behind Russia and India.
(Production: Carlos Valdez, Patrick Alwine) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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