Inside Manacapuru, the Amazonian city with the most Covid-19 deaths

By Raphael Alves

Manacapuru, Brazil, Jun 10 (efe-epa).- The city of Manacapuru has seen one of the highest Covid-19 death rates in Brazil.

Residents are mourning the death of one of the few doctors who worked in the community in the Amazonas state after he died from the coronavirus.

The city’s pandemic mortality rate is the third-worst in the country at 116 per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the latest official data.

Brazil has been the second-worst affected country in the world by the outbreak, with more than 739,500 confirmed cases and 38,400 deaths, according to data compiled by the Johns Hopkins University.

Authorities in Manacapuru have launched a de-escalation plan, like most other regions in Brazil, even though the rate of infection is continuing to rise and is not expected to peak in the country for several weeks.

The death of one of Manacapuru’s doctors Rangel Ruiz was a severe blow for residents, who have already buried more than 100 of their neighbors.

There have been around 2,700 confirmed cases in the city since the start of the crisis out of a population of almost 100,000.

Ruiz was 42 years old and was believed to have a pre-existing health problem which put him in a higher risk group.

He contracted the virus and was taken to a hospital in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas around 100km by road, where he died.