Peru surpasses Italy in coronavirus cases, records over 7,200 deaths

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to tighten its grip on some of the parts of the world, Peru surpassed the total coronavirus infections in Italy and has now recorded over 240,900 cases. According to international media reports, even though the cases were toning down in the South American country, Peru has reported more than 7,200 death as per Johns Hopkins University tally, became the second-highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Latin America after Brazil, and also the seventh-highest in the world. 

Recently the World Health Organisation, (WHO) has noted that South America has become the ‘new epicentre’ of the coronavirus outbreak and Peru, Chile and Brazil have been particularly hard hit with the global health crisis. Meanwhile, the total coronavirus infections in the world have reached over 8.3 million with more than 449,900 deaths. Peru’s government was swift in imposing nationwide lockdown and has now extended the restrictions to June 30. 

According to an international media agency, hundreds of people who died of coronavirus infections have lost their lives without receiving any medical assistance in Peru while some did not have the financial resources to afford the treatment. Moreover, an economic contraction of at least 12 per cent in 2020 has been predicted for the nation. The Latin American country’s nearly 20 per cent population is below the poverty line and has failed to contain the virus till now. 

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Cleric criticises Peru's health system

As coronavirus infections continue to rise in the nation, Archbishop in Peru had the entire cathedral filled with the self-portraits of over 5,000 victims of COVID-19 on June 15 in a bid to criticise the country’s health system. According to Archbishop Carlos Castillo while the coronavirus cases continue to be at an upswing in Pery and South America as a whole, the medical facility in the region “is based on egotism and on business and not on mercy and solidarity with the people”.  Castillo noted that apart from COVID-19 pandemic, a more challenging time is approaching the nation that is famine.

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Inputs: Agency/ Image: AP