Ecuador's latest pandemic

The last pandemic to affect Ecuador was COVID-19, which began in the country on February 29, 2020, with the first confirmed case in the province of Los Ríos. The pandemic had a devastating impact on the population, with more than 67,000 deaths officially recorded by May 2023. During the first few months, the country faced a severe health crisis, especially in Guayaquil, where hospitals and morgues collapsed due to the high number of infections and deaths.

The government implemented measures such as strict quarantines, mobility restrictions, and mandatory mask-wearing to slow the spread of the virus. Vaccination began in 2021 and helped reduce the severity of cases. In May 2023, Ecuador declared the end of the health emergency, although the virus remains present in the country with sporadic cases reported in 2025.