This archive report was first published on 6 July 2020.
Bolivia Family Protests Delayed COVID-19 Burial ¶
On June 28, a family in Bolivia lost a loved one to COVID-19. However, due to the high number of deaths in the country, the family's efforts to bury their kin were delayed.
Desperate for a solution, the family took the body of their deceased relative to the street, sparking a protest against the delayed burial. Fortunately, funeral workers arrived a few hours later and collected the coffin, taking it to a cemetery for burial.
According to Police Colonel Ivan Rojas, law enforcers were collecting over 17 bodies a day, which had stretched the workforce of the police unit and funeral homes. To address the issue, the country's ministry of labour announced that an additional 250 burial plots were being prepared to accommodate the growing number of dead bodies.
As of now, Bolivia has recorded 36,818 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,320 deaths. The country's neighbour, Brazil, is also severely affected, with over 1.6 million cases of the virus and 64,867 deaths. The United States of America is the most hit country, with over 2.9 million cases and 132,534 deaths.
