Twenty (20) journalists dies of Coronavirus in Peru

Peru is Latin America’s second worst-hit country after Brazil with more than 170,000 cases and 4,600 deaths.

The country’s journalists’ union on Tuesdays reported that 20 journalists have died from the coronavirus outbreak in Peru, most of them infected while reporting on the pandemic, often with little protection.

The National Association of Journalists, Zuliana Lainez, said that as of June 1, the number of dead colleagues is 20 in all of the country.

He further said that many of the deceased contracted the disease while reporting from streets, markets and hospitals on the effects of the virus, without proper protective equipment.

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Seven of the victims were from Loreto, in the Amazon basin, one of Peru’s worst affected areas.

A large proportion of journalists who fell victim to the virus were freelancers, with none of the protections afforded to company employees.

The union noted that journalists dying from COVID-19 confirm the urgency of addressing health protection and job insecurity.