Advertisement

Covid-19 surges in Colombia, doctors fear deaths underreported

Story and video from Al Jazeera

The recent increase in the number of deaths in the Colombian capital Bogota has meant cremation services have tripled in the last couple of weeks.

Funeral workers say it's a sad situation for the relatives who can't give their loved ones a proper goodbye.

Colombia's reopening of important sectors of the economy in June, following a strict quarantine, seems to be responsible for a sharp rise in hospitalisations.

Intensive care units are now 80% full in Bogota. The national government bought new ventilators to increase availability but a lack of trained doctors means not all of them can be used at the same time.

And now authorities are worried by a sharp surge along Colombia's Caribbean coast.

Soldiers and police in full protective gear are on the streets of the port city of Barranquilla to enforce quarantine measures.

【ギャラリー】The coronavirus ravages Latin America58

The Atlantico province has registered almost double the number of deaths compared to Bogota, with only 1/3 of the population.

Authorities say people have been more openly flouting social distancing rules, holding parties and other gatherings.

And doctors fear some Covid-19 deaths are not being reported.

The sharp upturn in Colombia still pales in comparison with some neighbouring countries like Brazil but it is very worrisome, especially since health authorities say the country is still weeks away from reaching the peak of infections, and the government is excluding the return to stricter measures, saying it's time to revive the country's battered economy, leaving much of the responsibility in the hands of people wearing face masks and maintaining social distance.