Peru reports 7,386 new coronavirus cases, nationwide toll soars to 155,671

The health ministry in Peru reportedly said that the confirmed coronavirus cases in the country stands at 155,671 as of May 30 with a sudden jump of 7,386 cases compared to the previous day. According to the reports, 141 new coronavirus-related fatalities were reported taking the nationwide death toll to 4,371. Peru has the second-highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Latin America after Brazil. 

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Iquitos worst hit

Earlier, the authorities in Peru announced that they will be building a hospital in the Amazon in an effort to respond to the growing coronavirus emergency that threatens to severely effect the indigenous population. As per reports, the state social security body EsSalud claims that the 100-bed hospital will be operational within weeks. As per reports, the hospital will be built in Pucallpa, capital of the remote Ucayali region, the region borders Brazil. The hospitals in the largest city Iquitos are reportedly overwhelmed by the sheer number of coronavirus patients and the local morgues have been unable to tackle the number of bodies.

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In a statement, Prime Minister Gustavo Zeballos said that his government is doing all it can to ensure oxygen and other vital medical materials reach the Amazon via ‘an air and land bridge’. Unfortunately, roads are almost non-existent in Peru, making aid deliveries much more difficult. In order to tackle this problem, the government has vowed to increase the number of flights from Lima to ensure aid deliveries. Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra in a news conference reportedly said that the deadly coronavirus pandemic had reached its peak in Peru and that the government expected the rate of new coronavirus cases to slowly decrease. The Amazon city of Iquitos, near the Brazilian border, is one of the hardest hits, with many doctors and nurses infected.

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READ: Peru To Construct A Fast-build Hospital In Amazon To Help Coronavirus Patients

(Image Credit: AP)