Santiago, Jan 4 (IANS): Chile registered 2,289 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, for a total of 618,191 cases, which increased the nationwide infection tally to 618,191, the Ministry of Health reported.

Besides the new cases, the Ministry on Sunday also registered 43 new fatalities, bringing the death toll to 16,767, Xinhua news agency reported.

It said that a total of 584,457 patients had recovered from the disease, while 16,620 were in the active stage.

In the last seven days, infections surged by 24 per cent, while in the last two weeks it increased by 30 per cent, according to the Ministry.

Additionally, 781 people were currently hospitalised in intensive care units, including 614 patients on ventilators and 62 in critical condition.

As to a possible second wave of the pandemic, which experts said would occur this month, Minister of Health Enrique Paris said that following preventive measures and restrictions were key to controlling the outbreak, while vaccines continue to be delivered to critical health personnel.