Authorities in a Brazilian city grappling with the Coronavirus pandemic are seen digging mass graves in a distressing video.
The city of Manaus, located in northwest Brazil with a population of 1.7 million, is witnessing a rapid increase in burials as a result of the pandemic.
A cemetery in the city has experienced a staggering 500% surge in the number of burials since the Covid-19 outbreak began.
Aerial footage of the cemetery reveals the scale of the burials being conducted in the region. Coffins are being delivered wrapped in plastic film to prevent the spread of the disease.
The surge in Covid-19 cases in Brazil has raised concerns that construction workers, truck drivers, and tourists from the country, which is the largest in Latin America, may spread the disease to neighboring nations that have been more successful in controlling the coronavirus.
The country’s borders remain open, with little to no quarantine or curfews in place, and President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay the severity of the disease.
When questioned about the number of Coronavirus victims in the country, Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, responded by saying he “doesn’t perform miracles.” He further stated, “What do you want me to do? I am Messias (his full name is Jair Messias Bolsonaro), but I don’t do miracles.”
There have been at least 79,361 confirmed coronavirus cases in Brazil, resulting in 5,511 deaths.
Earlier this week, reports emerged that Covid-19 cases are overwhelming hospitals, morgues, and cemeteries across Brazil, pushing the country towards becoming one of the world’s epicenters for the pandemic.
At the main Taruma cemetery, a new area has been opened where undertakers were digging rows of graves, and now they are excavating trenches for five coffins at a time.
The Taruma mayor’s office has stated that the city’s funeral system is on the brink of collapse and is running out of coffins.
In Rio de Janeiro, cemeteries have expedited the construction of above-ground vaults to entomb deceased patients.
Undertakers in Manaus resorted to burying coffins one on top of the other this week, but this practice was halted after grieving relatives protested.
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