SANTIAGO, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Chile has reported a total of 1,228 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, taking the country's total tally to nearly 20,000, the health ministry said Sunday.

The ministry said 13 more deaths were reported in the South American country, bringing the total to 260. Meanwhile, the number of people who have recovered from the disease surpassed 10,000.

According to Health Minister Jaime Manalich, over 80 percent of the newly confirmed cases concentrated in the capital city of Santiago, the country's major center of infections.

"If we can not win the battle in Santiago, we will lose the fight against the coronavirus," he warned.

The Chilean government on Sunday announced new quarantine measures in three districts in the capital as well as the northern city of Antofagasta to slow down the spread of the disease.