Story By: Maja Mishevksa, Sub Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash

These images show the dead body of a suspected COVID-19 victim left on the street – one of a growing number being dumped outside from often crowded homes by concerned residents who do not want to get infected.

Delays in the collection of bodies are partly to blame for the growing problem of abandoned corpses being left on the streets in the South American country of Bolivia.

The latest incident took place in Cerro San Miguel located in the city of Cochabamba in the central Bolivian department of the same name when residents came across the corpse in the street and called the local authorities.

An unnamed community leader told the newspaper Los Tiempos: “There is a lot of concern in Cerro San Miguel as people are apparently dying of COVID-19 and most of them are living in rented accommodation. Other occupants are taking the bodies out of their homes and leaving them on the streets.

“The lack of a police presence is worrying. Since 5am, we have been reporting the latest incident to the authorities but they have not arrived and people are being exposed to COVID-19.”

The community leader also said that the victim was a 45-year-old man who died during the night after a coughing fit. It was assumed he died from a coronavirus infection but it was not confirmed.

He added: “We are very concerned because Cerro San Miguel has seen over 20 people die and their bodies are being left on the streets, leaving others exposed to the virus.”

The local authorities eventually removed the corpse and cordoned off the area as a precaution.

Meanwhile, local hospitals, funeral homes and cemeteries are reportedly struggling to cope with the surge in numbers while there are also said to be long delays in testing.

The Bolivian capital La Paz has also seen cases of dead bodies being dumped outside houses for several days due to delays in their collection, according to Los Tiempos.

The number of burials in the South American country has reportedly tripled in the last few weeks.

According to the latest figures from the Johns Hopkins University, Bolivia has registered 69,429 cases of COVID-19 and 2,583 related deaths.

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