:strip_icc()/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_59edd422c0c84a879bd37670ae4f538a/internal_photos/bs/2020/D/z/S76gbdRpGTOZZe1V0mDA/dji-0144.jpg)
[ad_1]
With an increase in the number of deaths and the risk of collapse in the funeral system, Manaus began to adopt a night burial scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic. The average is 100 burials per day and the bodies began to pile up in the same mass grave in Nossa Senhora de Aparecida cemetery, the main one in the city.
On Monday night (27), Amazon Network caught the movement in the cemetery, which carried out burials with the help of searchlights to illuminate graves and machines. Coffins now share the same well, separated only by a board. As of Monday, Amazonas had registered more than 3,900 cases of Covid-19, with 320 deaths.
/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_59edd422c0c84a879bd37670ae4f538a/internal_photos/bs/2020/t/A/5JgTvsQCSw4GrD8fLRXw/dji-0161.jpg "Searchlights illuminate coffins and machines for mass burials in Manaus. - Photo: Sweet Potato Boy / Disclosure")
Searchlights illuminate coffins and machines for mass burials in Manaus. – Photo: Sweet Potato Boy / Disclosure
The situation is desperate for several families who regret the lack of respect when saying goodbye to their relatives. Leonardo García, who had been waiting in the cemetery since Monday morning to bury his father, who died of natural causes, said he rebelled.
“They want to bury several bodies. On top of each other. There is no respect at all. They said there is no space and that the only way out is to bury the stacked bodies. I feel humiliated ”, he lamented.
/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_59edd422c0c84a879bd37670ae4f538a/internal_photos/bs/2020/s/8/MWYZl9Tt2qBs5bHiqxpw/dji-0139.jpg "Manaus is nearing a funeral collapse and needs to bury the stacked bodies in a public cemetery. - Photo: Sweet Potato Boy / Disclosure")
Manaus is nearing a funeral collapse and needs to bury the stacked bodies in a public cemetery. – Photo: Sweet Potato Boy / Disclosure
Average of 100 burials per day
The new procedure of stacking coffins and conducting burials at night was taken over by the dramatic increase in the number of burials in the capital. On Sunday (26), Manaus recorded the highest number of burials since the start of the pandemic, with 140 in 24 hours.
Manaus has four times more burials than normal due to pandemic
A week ago, the daily average number of funerals in the city became 100. Before, the average was 30 funerals per day, according to the Union of State Funeral Companies (Sefeam).
The city has already started offering and suggesting that families opt for cremation, offered in association with a private company. A week ago, the cemetery received the installation of refrigerated containers to contain the bodies.
/i.s3.glbimg.com/ 13.glbimg.com/ AUTH_59edd422c0c84a879bd37670ae4f538a / internal_photos / bs / 2020 / q / l / fpBtgfTE6ck4dB3JptMQ / dji-0151.jpg "The coffins are buried stacked in mass graves at the Nossa Senhora de Aparecida Cemetery in Manaus. - Photo: Chico Batata / Disclosure")
The coffins are buried stacked in mass graves at the Nossa Senhora de Aparecida Cemetery in Manaus. – Photo: Sweet Potato Boy / Disclosure
Complaints about lack of structure
This Sunday, the day of the burial registration, a family had to bury their own father, for lack of gravediggers. (See video below)
Shortage of gravediggers, relatives of the elderly killed for burying coronaviruses in the cemetery
After reporting that he had to “hand over” the cold stores to find the father’s body, one of the children spoke about the situation.
“Many bodies on top of each other, without any identification. We had to take risks. We had to take risks in the freezer, in the fridge, to identify our father,” Máximo said.
By means of a note, the Manaus City Council said that the situation was “an isolated event” and that it will investigate what happened to take appropriate measures.
Another case pointing to the lack of structure in the city also stemmed from a family complaint: the bodies were placed outdoors outside the morgue in a health unit. According to family members, the bodies were left in the sun and were only removed after complaints from family members. Local management said the photo was taken when the team was taking the bodies to the morgue.
* With the collaboration of Fábio Melo.
Manaus lives in chaos in hospitals and cemeteries due to coronavirus
