Coronavirus cases rise in South America

MEXICO CITY - Four South American countries on Thursday announced increases in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, including Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Chile.

In Brazil, the health ministry said the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to eight, with six in Sao Paulo state, and one each in Rio and Espirito Santo states.

Two of the new patients were believed to contract the virus from the country's first confirmed case - a 61-year-old man in Sao Paulo, in the country's first two cases of local transmission.

"All of the confirmed cases up to now have had a record of travel or close contact with a confirmed case," said health ministry official Wanderson Kleber de Oliveira, ruling out community transmission.

One of the confirmed cases, a 13-year-old teenager who arrived in the country on Sunday from Italy, has not shown any symptoms.

In addition, Brazil also recorded 636 suspected cases of the disease, the ministry added.

In neighboring Argentina, the health ministry confirmed the country's second case on Thursday. The 23-year-old resident of its capital Buenos Aires "traveled to Italy and returned to the country on March 1."

Argentina announced its first case on Tuesday, a 43-year-old man who returned from Italy on Sunday.

Ecuador's Public Health Ministry on Thursday said the number of its confirmed cases of the COVID-19 has reached 13, making it the worst-affected country in Latin America to date.

Its first patient, an elderly woman who returned from Spain on Feb 14, is in intensive care, while others have shown light symptoms and have been placed in self-isolation at home, the ministry said.

Chilean Health Ministry announced the country's fourth case, a 40-year-old patient who returned from Italy on Sunday and developed symptoms of the virus on Wednesday.

Countries in South America on Wednesday announced a plan to create a high-level committee to coordinate a regional response to contain the virus' spread.