Santiago, Nov 7 (IANS): Chile could experience a new outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in a few months, Health Minister Enrique Paris said.

"It is possible that our country could suffer an outbreak in a few more months. The summer period (in the Southern Hemisphere) is approaching with high temperatures and vacations that invite us to be outdoors more often," Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying in a statement on Friday.

"This is why we insist on the call to citizens to maintain and respect more than ever the rules of self-care, the use of masks, frequent hand washing with soap and water, physical distancing, among others," he added.

As the country slowly reopens, there will be more freedom of movement and activity, but this freedom comes with "greater individual responsibility," the Minister said, adding that citizens must "continue learning to live in this new reality, to live in 'Covid-19 mode'".

So far, Chile has administered 4,502,579 tests for the virus since the onset of the outbreak, according to the health ministry.

On Friday, the country registered 1,808 new cases in 24 hours, taking the national total to 518,390.

Meanwhile, 46 more fatalities were reported, raising the country's death toll to 14,450.