Deaths from COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean have surpassed 600,000.

The region made from 34 countries has recorded 601,256 deaths which is the second-highest death toll behind Europe.

Visuals show health workers in personal protective clothing disinfecting and treating patients in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela.

SHOTLIST:

1. Various of people on the streets of Argentina
2. Various of market in Peru
3. Various of public transport in Bolivia
4. Various of hospital in Bolivia
5.Various of protocol for the treatment of death by coronavirus in Ecuador
6. Various of hospitals in Latin America
7. Various of tests in Peru
8. Various of tests in Ecuador
9. Various of controls in Argentina
10. Various of disinfection in Venezuela
11. Various of neighborhoods in Brazil
12. Various of Brazil during the pandemic
13. Various of beaches in Venezuela

STORYLINE:

More than 600,000 lives have been lost to Covid-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean since the pandemic began. The region, which encompasses 34 countries and territories in South and Central America and the Caribbean plus Mexico, has recorded 601,256 deaths – the second-highest number of virus fatalities after Europe.

Brazil and Mexico account for about half the region's coronavirus deaths, which hit the grim figure of over 500,000 by the end of December and have steadily increased since.

Many Latin American countries have experienced a deadly second wave of infections since December, after a few months of slower spread.

Brazil is the country with the world's second-highest national death toll with more than 226,300 fatalities, and Mexico is number three with at least 159,100 deaths.

As a percentage of the population, Peru is hardest hit with 125 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Mexico and Panama with 123 each per 100,000.

Globally, the pandemic has claimed more than 2.2 million lives since December 2019. The United States has by far the highest toll of more than 446,000.