20 Journalists Have Died From Coronavirus - Union

Not less than 20 journalists have died from the novel coronavirus in the South American country of Peru, with most of them contracting the virus while on the job, the journalists' union in the country has disclosed. 

Peru has a total of over 170,000 coronavirus cases, making it the second-worst hit country on the South American continent, a step behind Brazil.

Speaking on the issue was Zuliana Lainez of the National Association of Journalists, who said, “As of June 1, the number of dead colleagues is 20 in all of the country.

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“They have gone to hospitals, which are foci of infection, with homemade masks."

Seven of the journalists were from one of the worst-hit regions in the country, Loreto.

The union said that most of the journalists who died from the disease were freelance journalists who had no form of institutional backing.

“Journalists dying from COVID-19 confirms the urgency of addressing health protection and job insecurity.”