Peruvians vote for president amid deadly coronavirus surge

LIMA: Peru voted Sunday, in its deadliest week of the Covid-19 pandemic to date, in presidential elections seemingly headed for a run-off as no single candidate was able to fire up a crisis-weary nation.

Some 25 million people were eligible to vote -- which is mandatory -- the day after Peru reported its highest-ever daily toll in the Covid-19 pandemic.

An early exit poll showed far-left labor unionist Pedro Castillo in the lead with 16.1 percent, far short of the 51 percent required to avoid a runoff scheduled for June 6.

The same inconclusive result had rightist economist Hernando de Soto and corruption-accused populist Keiko Fujimori sharing the second place with 11.9 percent each.

Polling queues vied with lines of people seeking oxygen supplies for infected loved ones.

Many electors said they turned out, despite fear of infection, merely to avoid the fine of 88 sol (about $24) for not voting.

"We are afraid of getting infected, because this pandemic is terrible, but at the same time I have to vote," Nancy Retamozo, 58, told AFP while queuing at a school in a Lima suburb.

Peruvian authorities on Saturday reported 384 fatalities in 24 hours -- the third daily record in a week -- bringing the overall toll to more than 54,600 in the country of 33 million people.

More than 11,200 new daily cases were reported, adding to another 1.6 million to date.

On Sunday evening, the authorities announced the latest daily death toll of 234.

Peru's government had decided to press ahead with elections as South America battles a surge in infections fueled by new virus variants believed to be more contagious.

Six of Peru's 18 presidential candidates have contracted the virus.

Thousands of polling stations opened their doors at 7:00 am (1200 GMT), and closed at 7:00 pm -- four hours longer than usual as authorities sought to prevent voters amassing.