Hospitals in Bolivian city of Santa Cruz near collapse as coronavirus cases surge

Record ID: 1557168

  • Title: Hospitals in Bolivian city of Santa Cruz near collapse as coronavirus cases surge
  • Date: 15th June 2020
  • Summary: SANTA CRUZ, BOLIVIA (JUNE 12, 2020) (REUTERS) MAN TALKING TO HEALTH WORKER BEHIND GATE VARIOUS OF GUARD / HEALTH WORKERS OUTSIDE HOSPITAL MAN BEING PLACED INTO WHEELCHAIR VARIOUS OF RELATIVES OUTSIDE ICU LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (JUNE 12, 2020) (REUTERS) NURSES OUTSIDE HOSPITAL WEARING FACE SHIELDS BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT JEANINE ANEZ SITTING DOWN WAITING TO DONATE BLOOD (SOUNDBITE) (Sp
  • Embargoed: 29th June 2020 18:04
  • Keywords: Bolivia Santa Cruz full capacity hospitals
  • Location: SANTA CRUZ & LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
  • City: SANTA CRUZ & LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
  • Country: Bolivia
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA003CIHF13B
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS NOTE: PART FILMED IN PORTRAIT
    PLEASE NOTE: CONTAINS PROFANE LANGUAGE AND GRAPHIC IMAGES
    The Bolivian city of Santa Cruz has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and their hospitals are near collapse due to the poor health system and shortage of protective equipment.
    A distressing video showed a man lying on the pavement in a Santa Cruz street, suspected of suffering from COVID-19 and medical staff refusing to help him. In another video, a man can be seen begging for help as COVID-19 is spreading among many of his close relatives.
    Despite quarantine in the Andean country, more than 50% of coronavirus cases are in Santa Cruz, 568 km (562 mi) from La Paz. Doctors and nurses have reported difficulties in caring for patients and feared a collapse of the hospitals.
    Bolivia by Thursday (June 11) had 18,459 confirmed coronavirus cases so far and 611 deaths, according to Reuters data. But as one of the countries where the fewest number of tests are being carried out, medical experts say the real numbers of those infected could be many times higher.
    Bolivian President Jeanine Anez said the government was doing everything in its hands to deal with the pandemic and asked for the population to collaborate.
    (Production: Monica Machicao)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register