Mass graves dug in Manaus amid pandemic

Authorities in Manaus began digging mass graves on Tuesday to bury increasing number of victims of Covid-19 in city.

According to a City Hall statement, number of burials has more than doubled in ssa Senhora Aparecida public cemetery over past few days.

aver before pandemic was some 30 burials per day, but daily figure is w closer to 100.

" municipality has adopted mass graves system to bury victims of Covid-19, a method already used in or countries," city's statement reads, adding that it is "a necessary measure to attend to demand for burials."

With some 2 million inhabitants, capital of Amazonas state has registered one of highest rates of deaths and confirmed cases in country.

Manaus is also only city in state with intensive care units, most of which are already busy.

Last week a video published by local media and posted online, showed bodies in plastic bags next to patients inside hospital Joao Lucio where in 36 hours, 19 people died of Covid-19. Some of bodies were removed and put in cold containers that remain parked outside hospital.

federal government sent doctors, medical equipment and is building a field hospital to treat indigeus people.

Two indigeus people with Covid-19 already died in state, authorities reported.

new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.

More than 2,700 people have died in Brazil infected with Covid-19, with at least 43-thousand cases confirmed by Tuesday.  Brazil is country with highest rate of victims and confirmed cases in Latin-America.