Lima, Sep 3 (IANS): Peru has approved the resumption of international flights starting from October 1, but under strict safety measures amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Minister of Transport and Communications Carlos Estremadoyro said.

The first routes to resume include those to Mexico and Chile, which form the Pacific Alliance trade bloc with Peru and Colombia, Xinhua news agency quoted the minister as saying on Wednesday.

Brazil, the US and Spain are also among countries with which Peru is coordinating on the restart of flights.

According to Estremadoyro, Peruvian authorities are discussing the details of health measures with their counterparts in other countries.

He stressed that people who come to his country should undergo a coronavirus test within one week.

Peru suspended international flights in March as part of lockdown measures against the pandemic.

The country, one of the worst-hit in Latin America, has so far reported a total of 657,129 Covid-19 cases and 29,068 deaths.