Santiago, May 1 (IANS) Chile again registered more than 7,000 new Covid-19 infections in one day, despite a weekly drop, with 7,199 cases, for a total of 1,198,245, the Health Ministry said on Friday, adding that there were also 106 more deaths, to total 26,353.

The South American country had not reported more than 7,000 daily infections since April 23, when 7,525 were registered, the ministry said in a statement, the Xinhua news agency reported.

On Thursday, the Chilean government lifted lockdowns in 10 communes in the Santiago Metropolitan Region, where shopping centres and restaurants will reopen and quarantine will only be in effect on the weekend.

The Health Ministry has announced that the country's border closure, in effect since April 5, will be renewed in May.

--IANS int/rs