Bogotá has declared a COVID-19 orange alert due to increased coronavirus cases and high ICU utilization. New lockdowns have been announced in most of Bogotá with strict quarantines.

Many Medellin Guru readers have asked about the coronavirus situation in Bogotá, which has the most coronavirus cases in Colombia. Also, Medellin Guru has many readers in Bogotá that asked that we cover the city more.

Bogotá has declared a COVID-19 orange alert. This is due to an increase in coronavirus cases in Bogotá and ICU utilization in the city hitting 83 percent.

View of Bogotá from Monserrate

COVID-19 Orange Alert in Bogotá

Under the COVID-19 orange alert, Bogotá is entering a strict quarantine for many neighborhoods in the city from July 13 to August 23.

The following areas of Bogotá will be under a strict quarantine for two weeks on a rotating schedule as follows:

Strict Quarantine from July 13 to July 26:

• Ciudad Bolívat
• San Cristóbal
• Rafael Uribe Uribe
• Chapinero
• Santa Fe
• Usme
• Mártires
• Tunjuelito

Strict Quarantine from July 27 to August 9:

• Bosa
• Kennedy
• Puente Aranda
• Fontibón

Strict Quarantine from August 10 to August 23:

• Suba
• Engativá
• Barrios Unidos

There are only five areas of Bogotá that will not have a strict quarantine because the risk of contagion is lower than in others. These are: Usaquén, Teusaquillo, Antonio Nariño, La Candelaria and Sumapaz.

The following chart shows the areas of Bogotá with the most coronavirus cases:

Areas of Bogotá with the most coronavirus cases, data source El Tiempo, 7/9

By number of cases, the first five area are Kennedy (7,636 cases), Suba (4,249), Bosa (4,128), Ciudad Bolívar (3,385) and Engativá (3,201). All of these five locations have already had some form of strict confinement.

For example, Kennedy, had a strict quarantine for 15 days in June. Also, Kennedy had lockdowns as part of of UPZs [Unidades de Planeamiento Zonal (Urban Planning Zones)] between May and June.

Strict Quarantine Rules in Bogotá

When an area of Bogotá goes under a strict quarantine for two weeks, you can only go out for:

• Care giver work
• Security (personnel working in that area)
• Healthcare (staff working in that area)
• Groceries and pharmacy shopping
• Emergency services or public services (personnel working in that area)

In the case of groceries and pharmacies, only one person per family can leave. Also, between 8 pm and 5 am there is a curfew and no one will be able to go outside.

If you have a pet, you will have 20 minutes to take it out and only one person per family can do this.

In addition, you will not be able to do physical activity outdoors in a neighborhood of the city when it is under strict quarantine.

Also, Bogotá is keeping its Pico y Cedula from July 13 to August 23, which limits going out for shopping to every other day.

Coronavirus Situation in Bogotá

The following is the coronavirus status in Bogotá on July 9 according to Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS):

• Total cases: 42,347
• New cases from April 22 to July 9: 37,916
• Active cases: 25,171
• Coronavirus deaths: 959
• Coronavirus hospitalization: 2,495 in the hospital including 143 in the ICU

Bogotá is the largest city in Colombia with a metro population of over 10 million. On July 9, Bogotá had 42,347 cases or 31.6 percent of the total cases in Colombia.

The first coronavirus case in Bogotá was on March 6, 2020. And the peak of new daily coronavirus cases in Bogotá was reached on July 9 with 1,607 cases.

The following chart is the rolling 6-day average of new daily coronavirus cases in Bogotá.

6-day rolling average of new daily coronavirus cases in Bogotá, data source: Instituto Nacional de Salud, 7/9

This rolling 6-day average chart shows Bogotá experienced an increase in coronavirus cases heading to a new peak, which impacted the overall Colombia curve.

Computer generated image of COVID-19, photo by Felipe Esquivel Reed

Medellin Guru’s Coronavirus Series

Medellin Guru has a series of articles about the coronavirus pandemic and the impacts in Colombia: Also, these articles are being kept up-to-date, as this is a fast-moving topic:

• Humanitarian Flights from Colombia to the U.S. and Other Countries
• Medellín Starts Free COVID-19 Tests on the Medellín Metro
• New COVID-19 Preventive Measures in Medellín to Contain the Pandemic
• COVID-19 Orange Alert in Bogotá: New Lockdowns in Bogotá
• Medellín Starts to Lift the Quarantine: Enters Smart Isolation Phase
• Colombia Started to Lift the Quarantine – What Does this Mean?
• Coronavirus: When Will the Quarantine Be Lifted in Colombia?
• Colombia Starts to Lift the Quarantine in COVID-19 Free Areas
• Colombia Quarantine: Nationwide Quarantine Extended to September 1
• Coronavirus in Colombia: Myth vs Reality – Current Status
• Coronavirus Hospitalization in Colombia: Myth vs Reality
• Are Medellín and Antioquia Winning the Coronavirus Battle?
• 23 Cities with a Major Increase in Coronavirus Cases in Colombia
• Colombia Coronavirus Death Rate: What are the Chances of Dying?
• Coronavirus: When Will Things Return to Normal in Colombia?
• COVID-19 Testing in Colombia: Realty About Coronavirus Testing
• Life as an Expat: During Medellín’s Coronavirus Quarantine
• Colombian Visa Process Changes: Due to Quarantine and Coronavirus
• Medellín Coronavirus Closures – What is Closed in Medellín?
• Pico y Cedula: A Restriction for Grocery Shopping in the Aburrá Valley During the Quarantine
• Medellín Quarantine Starts on March 20 for Four Days

View of downtown Bogotá from Monserrate

The Bottom Line: COVID-19 Orange Alert in Bogotá: New Lockdowns in Bogotá

Bogotá declared a COVID-19 orange alert and will be starting strict quarantines for two weeks on a rotating basis in most neighborhoods in the city. This orange alert was declared when Bogotá hit a daily peak of new coronavirus cases and ICU utilization hit 83 percent.

Only five areas of Bogotá will not have strict quarantine because the risk of contagion is lower than in others.

This decision in Bogotá was made considering that the speed of spread of the coronavirus in the city varies by neighborhoods of the city.  The new strict quarantines in Bogotá are intended to help contain the pandemic.

In comparison, Medellín put in place much less restrictive COVID-19 preventive measures. In Medellín, the measures include a dry law on weekends and a curfew on holidays to help contain the pandemic

Stay safe!  And protect yourself from COVID-19 by:

• Staying home as much as possible.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Put distance between yourself and other people when you are out.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Wear a face mask when you go out.

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