Latin American nations ease restrictions as COVID cases drop

By MANUEL RUEDA
Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Plummeting coronavirus infection rates across Latin America have led governments in the region to lift restrictions on mass gatherings, travel requirements and mask mandates that have been in place for two years. The region has been hit hard by COVID-19, with countries like Brazil and Peru registering some of the world’s highest death tolls. But cases and deaths have fallen in many places to lows resembling levels last seen in the first two months of the pandemic. Some epidemiologists believe vaccination campaigns and months of exposure to different strains of the virus have helped the region’s populations resist new waves of contagion.