More than 1 million COVID-19 deaths in Latin America highlight poverty and health care concerns

As the death toll in Latin America continues to climb past one million, some across the region say the pandemic has only exacerbated existing societal issues.

In the United States and other Western nations, the toll from COVID-19 is finally beginning to ease, at least in part, because of the rapid rollout of highly effective vaccines. But in parts of Latin America, where health systems are failing and vaccines are relatively scarce, a different story is unfolding, particularly among those in poverty. More than 1 million people have died from COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean as the virus continues to spread faster there than in any other region, according to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The number of deaths has doubled in just five months. Dr. Jhon Cuenca Vega, a critical care physician from Guayaquil, Ecuador, told ABC News that health care providers throughout Latin America have not had the tools to handle the constant influx of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.