SANTIAGO, Dec 23: The only continent left out has now been invaded by the invincible coronavirus - Antarctica. Because there are no outside contacts, it was thought to be the safest place, with only a limited number of people coming in and going back.

The infection has been reported from the Chilean research base. A total of 36 people tested positive for covid. They included 26 members of the Chilean army and 10 maintenance workers. They have somehow been evacuated from the Bernardo O'Higgins base back to Chile. The incidence of infection occurred despite the precautions the stations had taken like stopping tourism and reducing the activities.

However, the residents of the continent marked by darkness, oceans and mountains of ice knew if they caught the virus somehow it would be difficult to deal with as there are no medical facilities except a doctor per station. Especially if in winter it would be difficult to travel back home.

Twenty-eight countries like Australia, US, Italy, Germany, France, Britain have research stations on Antarctica, the southern end of the earth. They stand afar from each other. The communication among them and with the world outside is through satellite phones and internet. The researchers stay for a few seasons and return. Most of them return when winter sets in. In winter it is quite dark too. This year, concerned over coronavirus reaching there, most people have left before the onset of winter. They had a covid screening system for newcomers.