A Chilean regulator on Tuesday dismissed the concerns voiced by union workers that mining companies were failing to enforce sanitary measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus, calling mine adherence to the restrictions "adequate".
Unions had urged the government to re-assess the operating plans of the country´s sprawling mines on Sunday, citing an "alarming" increase in infections among workers.
But Chile´s Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin) told Reuters in an emailed statement it had carried out 4,299 inspections at various mining sites throughout the world´s top copper producer since the outbreak began in mid-March.