Brazilian Health Minister Nelson Teich on Monday disputed the need to set up a new hospital to fight the coronavirus pandemic in hard-hit Manaus, even as the city’s hospitals are overwhelmed and officials have resorted to burying COVID-19 victims in mass graves. Manaus, located in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, is arguably the worst hit of all major cities in Brazil, which has recorded over 105,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 7,000 deaths as of Monday. While the total number of cases is larger in some cities, public health infrastructure in Manaus is particularly lacking, health officials say.
