brazil has the second highest
coronavirus death toll in the world
and the country is struggling with a new
variant of the virus and a devastating
second wave
manaus in the amazon rainforest is at
the epicentre it's where the new strain
was found
its hospitals can hardly cope brazil has
started vaccinating people but any
relief from this virus feels a very long
way off
from a house here's our south america
correspondent katie watson
this is not the first time manaus has
been brought to its knees
in the cemetery a reminder of the first
wave
where digging mass graves was the only
way to keep up
with the number of people dying the
biggest city in the amazon
people here feel forgotten again and the
second wave
is worse last week the city's
overwhelmed hospitals ran out of oxygen
supplies is still patchy now people
queue at local gas companies in the hope
of keeping their loved ones alive
don't despair says this company
representative cylinders are now being
delivered across the city
but elky is terrified she's had to leave
her mother at home
with no oxygen to come here she only has
this one cylinder
i know
local volunteers like marcel have
stepped in to help bring oxygen to those
who need it
he's looking after five people making
daily oxygen runs
but it's taking
okay
doctors are concerned the new variant
found in the amazon region
is overwhelming already packed hospitals
normally there are eight beds in here
one patient to each room but in the past
few days doctors have had to double that
each patient now shares there are 16
beds and they still have to find space
to grow jaime is the oldest here at 77.
his survival says his son fabio is down
to luck
the rest of the ward is full of young
people this woman's 23
next to her a man in his 30s it's
shocked doctors here
here in manaus we have the ip center
here now but
in other parts of brazil this new
strength we're gonna go
so thank god the vaccinations already
started
there's concern though that vaccines
aren't getting to those who need them
but as we prepare to leave some good
news
jaime reacts to his family for the first
time since he became ill
a rare glimpse of hope in otherwise dark
times here katie watson bbc news
in manaus