As COVID cases and hospitalisations surge, the medical system in Amazonas is collapsing amid oxygen shortages.

Brasilia, January 24 (RHC)-- Soaring COVID-19 infections, oxygen shortages and an explosion of hospital demands have so far defined the second wave in the Brazilian jungle city of Manaus, which is experiencing a healthcare catastrophe.

The government has yet to disclose the number of deaths since the state’s emergency care units ran out of oxygen on Thursday.  A residential doctor at the Getulio Vargas Hospital, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media, told reporters that approximately 100 patients had died from asphyxiation since January 14th.

Critics blame Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s government for the poor handling of the crisis.  According to the Attorney General’s office (AGU), the Ministry of Health was allegedly warned nearly a week before oxygen stock reached critical levels in the city, but failed to inform federal authorities.