Argentina doctor 'outraged' by lockdown protest

The director of one of the largest public hospitals in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires criticised a large protest where thousands of demonstrators defied lockdown measures.

"It's outrageous because the health professionals don't deserve that the population makes this type of demonstrations," Posadas Hospital Director Alberto Maceira said on Tuesday.

Maceira said most of the beds at the intensive care unit are occupied and hundreds of patients with respiratory ailments seek medical attention every day.

"Doctors and nurses are getting sick and dying to keep the system working," said Maceira.

As front line health workers continue to grapple with rising COVID-19 infection rates, demonstrators gathered in Buenos Aires and other Argentine cities on Monday to reject the management of President Alberto Fernandez.

Amid an increase of COVID-19 cases, President Fernandez announced an extension of the lockdown until at least the end of August.

According to a Johns Hopkins University tally on Tuesday, Argentina had reported over 299,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 5,800 deaths.