Peru Covid-19 crisis is mounting despite government measures

Peru Covid-19 crisis is mounting despite government measures

Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The nation of Peru is facing mountain pressure and convulsions from the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. At the same time, infections are extremely high for a population of roughly 33 million people.

Currently, 7,257 deaths and over 240,000 known infections have occurred in Peru. Sadly, this figure is probably underestimated like other nations. Therefore, with some people ignoring government measures, it seems likely that the death toll will continue to grow.

The BBC reports, “Peru was one of the first in the region to impose a lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus, and the police and the army were deployed to enforce it. But experts say this and other measures have not worked properly because large numbers of people disrespect them.”

President Martín Vizcarra is extremely worried about mounting deaths and the shape of the economy. Thus he introduced measures to stem the spread of coronavirus but the outcome is negative. This relates to 7,257 deaths and the economy tanking by 40 percent from the same month last year.

Vizcarra pointedly said the coronavirus crisis is the “most serious crisis in our history.”

Unemployment is growing rapidly in Lima and in other parts of the country. Indeed, some people have left this earth without receiving health care support. The Guardian reports, “Hundreds have died without receiving help from the health system and many families have faced financial ruin due to the cost of trying to care for the sick.”

However, the government is assisting poorer people in society even if some people are falling through the net. Andina reports, “Out of the 5.1 million households that have received a State subsidy to address the impact of the COVID-19 emergency so far, 1,172,181 belong to Andean, Amazonian and Afro-Peruvian peoples.”

Overall, the crisis is severe in Peru because many people are suffering from the economic convulsions of coronavirus. Hence, the state needs to enforce and express the need for people to abide by measures.

Yet for people suffering from poverty then it isn’t so simple despite government assistance.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-53051157

https://andina.pe/ingles/noticia-peru-over-11-million-andean-amazon-afroperuvian-households-received-state-grants-802019.aspx

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/15/peru-archbishop-fills-church-with-portraits-of-covid-19-victims