Latin American countries are one of those nations worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At least five Latin American countries are in the top 10 of countries having the most number of COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide. These are Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, and Argentina.

Of the five, Brazil is at the top among the Latin American countries and third worldwide with 4,718,115 cases. It is also second in the number of deaths worldwide with 141,441.

In Belo Horizonte, a southeastern city in Brazil, a blue guitar that still hangs on the wall and a small sofa in the living room are constant reminders of Paulo Roberto who died in June of the pandemic.

His wife, Maria Candida Silveira, said that Roberto spends most of his time on the sofa when he watches films and documentaries. The 75-year-old also often takes a nap on it. 

Roberto was not the only one who fell victim to the coronavirus. His 68-year-old wife and two of his four daughters also got infected. Silveira survived after being put in the intensive case, while his other daughter also passed away.

Struggling to move on, Silveira said she finds consolation that Roberto was able to fulfil his dying wish, that is seeing his great-granddaughter, Dudinha, for one more time through a video call.

Silveira recalled that Roberto was sitting on the bed, laughing and playing with the little girl over the phone. She added that she was glad that Roberto was able to say goodbye to her.    

Silveira said that she continues to remember small details of the happy moments that they spent together. The memory of Roberto's music also remains, especially the old songs that he loved to play and sing, said Silveira.   

Other Latin American countries have the same tale to tell.

In Mexico City, 44-year-old Hugo Lopez Camacho worked as an orderly in a hospital for 14 years. In late April, he was admitted in the same hospital and he eventually died there too. He had called his mother to inform her that he was going to be intubated and that was the last that his family heard of him.

They also had to wait for his remains to be handled because the huge number of cases in Mexico took a toll on the funeral services. Now that they finally had him cremated, which was not what they would have wanted, they have to wait again to be able to bury his ashes along with those of his grandmother at the family crypt. 

All that is left of Camacho was his crucifix-adorned room that testifies to the humble life that he had led.

Several Latin American countries have asked to extend the September 18 deadline of confirming their participation in the World Health Organization's (WHO) global vaccine allocation plan for COVID-19, otherwise known as COVAX.

The COVAX is a global initiative aimed at ensuring that once COVID-19 vaccines are approved and licensed, they will be available to all countries regardless if they have a low or high income.

With COVAX, 10 Latin American countries, which are among the 90 poor countries in the world, will not have to pay for the vaccine.

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