Coronavirus: more than 3,000 dead in Ecuador

Ecuador, one of the Latin American countries hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, crossed the threshold of 3,000 dead on Friday, announced Health Minister Juan Carlos Zevallos. "Unfortunately, we have 3,056 people dead" due to the coronavirus, and Ecuador has a total of 35,828 confirmed cases, the minister said during a virtual press conference.

In addition to the 3,056 deaths officially caused by Covid-19, the government reports 1,892 people whose death is probably due to the disease, which particularly strikes the province of Guayas, on the Pacific coast of Ecuador. This province concentrates 50% of the cases registered in Ecuador and the majority of deaths. Its capital, Guayaquil, has become the epicenter of the pandemic in the country, with more than 9,300 cases of Covid-19.

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Since the virus was detected in the country on February 29, the health and funeral systems of Guayaquil have collapsed, and images of corpses in homes and on the streets have shocked the world. To curb the progression of the disease, Ecuador declared a state of emergency in mid-March, suspended courses in educational establishments and work in the company. A 15 hour curfew per day was also imposed.

After nine weeks of confinement, Guayaquil has started the deconfinement phase, with the resumption on Wednesday of certain production activities.