Quito, Feb 16 (IANS): The Ecuadoran Ministry of Public Health (MSP) reported 1,696 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total to 267,223.
The ministry also reported 49 more deaths, bringing the death toll to 10,599, while 230,377 patients have recovered from the disease, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.
The ministry stated that cases are currently on the rise, with one of the main sources of transmission being family gatherings of more than 10 people in spaces without ventilation for over two hours.
The province of Pichincha continues to be the epicenter of the pandemic in the country, with a total of 93,651 cases, most of them concentrated in the capital city of Quito, which reported 539 new cases in the last 24 hours.
The country began a four-day holiday on Saturday for Carnival, and authorities have asked the population to act responsibly.