Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that affects the skin and nerves and can cause deformities if left untreated. Health officials say early detection programmes and universal access to medical care helped eliminate the disease.

Credits: envato elements; Author: YuriArcursPeopleimages;

The disease spreads mainly through close and prolonged contact with infected individuals, and without treatment, the infection can lead to persistent inflammation and nerve damage. The World Health Organization estimates around 200,000 new leprosy cases are still reported worldwide each year, but Chile has not recorded a single locally transmitted case of leprosy since 1993.