Quito, Feb 15 (IANS): Ecuador registered 2,010 new cases of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19), bringing the total number of cases to 265,527, the Ministry of Public Health reported.

The ministry added that, with 47 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll had risen to 10,550, along with another 4,719 deaths that were likely caused by Covid-19 but have not yet been confirmed, Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

The province of Pichincha continues to be the epicenter of the pandemic in the country, with a total of 93,081 cases, most of which have been registered in the capital city of Quito.

The country began its vaccination program on January 21, focusing first on inoculating healthcare workers and older adults in nursing homes.

On Saturday, the country began a four-day holiday to celebrate Carnival, a celebration that usually sees a high level of mobility and tourism, and health authorities are urging people to continue to follow health protocols to avoid the spread of infection.

So far, 220,398 people have recovered from the disease in the country, according to the health ministry.