Bolivia's general elections are at risk of being postponed as the country's coronavirus death toll increases.

A scientific committee has proposed to postpone the upcoming elections. The country currently has 60,991 registered COVID-19 cases with 2,218 deaths.

Police said they have recovered 420 bodies from streets, vehicles and homes in the capital of La Paz, and in Bolivia’s biggest city, Santa Cruz, in the span of five days. Between 80 and 90 per cent of them are believed to have had the virus.

SHOTLIST:

1. Various of La Paz, Bolivia
2. Various of hospitals in La Paz, Bolivia
3. Various of corpses in the streets of Bolivia
4. Various of Electoral Tribunal
5. Various voting in Bolivia (file)

STORYLINE:

A scientific committee advising the Bolivian government has proposed to postpone the presidential elections on September 6 due to the coronavirus crisis, an issue that divides politicians in a country heavily impacted by the pandemic.

Police said they have recovered 420 bodies from streets, vehicles and homes in the capital of La Paz, and in Bolivia’s biggest city, Santa Cruz, in the span of five days. Between 80 and 90 percent of them are believed to have had the virus.

In a letter sent to the president of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), Salvador Romero, the committee notes that "the disease has had enormous variations in the world and the majority of researchers agree that, to plan activities such as an election, you must wait for the epidemiological curve of active cases to have a sustained decrease for a period of 14 days, so the date of September 6 is not appropriate. "The group, made up of independent professionals and mainly doctors, advises the Ministry of Health in their efforts to contain the pandemic. Until yesterday, Bolivia registered 60,991 accumulated infections and 2,218 deaths.

The TSE has not yet fully analyzed the proposal sent the day before. In the event that there is a possible further postponement of the elections, it is the body that must define the date with the endorsement of the Legislative Assembly, currently dominated by the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), the party of former President Evo Morales.

Even before learning the scientists' suggestion, six of the eight parties in the electoral race expressed their opinion in favor of postponing the elections.

Bolivia has reported nearly 2,328 confirmed deaths from Covid-19, although the real number is believed to be higher.