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Coronavirus nightmare in Ecuador's port city Guayaquil - pictures

AFP Man in protective kit to identify a relative in a morgue, Guayaquil, 15 Apr 20AFP
A man in Guayaquil wears protective kit so that he can enter a morgue and identify a relative who died of Covid-19

Ecuador's port city of Guayaquil is one of the worst-hit places in Latin America in the coronavirus pandemic.

Its health service is overwhelmed and hundreds of bodies have been left unburied, sometimes lying in the street.

Officially Covid-19 has killed 421 people in Ecuador and infected 8,450, but the real figures are believed to be much higher. A relatively low rate of testing means many cases have probably gone unreported.

The official charged with collecting bodies in Guayaquil, Jorge Wated, said in the first two weeks of April almost 6,000 more deaths had been registered than the average for this time of year.

AFP Furniture-maker and his wife working on a coffin in Guayaquil, 16 Apr 20AFP
A furniture-maker and his wife are now making desperately needed coffins
Getty Images Woman with baby begging in Guayaquil, 16 Apr 20Getty Images
A woman with her baby begs for help as the country suffers economic pain from the health crisis
Reuters Man in Jesus face maskReuters
A man sports a Jesus face mask, hoping his faith will keep the virus at bay
BBC Presentational grey line

More on the pandemic:

BBC Presentational grey line
AFP Pharmacy queue, 15 Apr 20AFP
As in many other countries now, long queues form outside Guayaquil's pharmacies
AFP Los Ceibos field hospital, Guayaquil, 13 Apr 20AFP
Los Ceibos hospital has been expanded with this Covid-19 field hospital
Getty Images Cardboard coffin at a Guayaquil morgue, 10 Apr 20Getty Images
The surge in deaths has forced people to make coffins out of cardboard

Ecuador's coronavirus nightmare in pictures

BBC Banner image reading 'more about coronavirus'BBC
BBC BannerBBC
EPA A man works making tombs for victims of Covid-19 at Angel Maria Canales cemetery in Guayaquil, Ecuador, 15 April 2020EPA
New tomb spaces are being created in the Angel Maria Canales cemetery in Guayaquil
EPA Street vendor, Guayaquil, 16 Apr 20EPA
A street vendor sells vitamin C supplements and face masks

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