In parts of South Africa, medical staff have been forced to turn away covid-19 patients. There are not enough doctors and medical equipment is in short supply.

‘‘This is terrible. Sick people are getting sicker, some are dying on their legs, you know, it’s hurting, it’s hurting really’‘, a coronavirus patient said.

Dr Tobisa Fodo, a physician in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Port Elizabeth, said her team had been forced to accept only a quarter of people who needed treatment.

‘‘It’s heartbreaking in the sense that you end up yourself and your team having to say no to somebody’s mother, somebody’s grandmother, somebody’s father, somebody’s uncle. We will accept around about, maybe the 25% of the referrals?’‘, she asked.

Hundreds of people who died without receiving medical treatment have been buried in a cemetery in the city.

The Southern African nation has reported more than 300,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, and 4,453 deaths.

However, a report by the South African Medical Research Council has said the country had nearly 11,000 excess deaths over the past two months alone.