Health officials in Ecuador are stacking bodies seven high as the country becomes the new epicenter for the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America. 

In Guayaquil-a city, they now dub as Ecuador's Wuhan-medical staff are forced to store dead coronavirus patients in hospital toilets as morgues turn bodies away after running out of space. 

A 35-year-old nurse working for one of the country's health care facilities said many patients came in at a critical condition, with most succumbing to the virus. 

"We had to wrap up bodies so many times. We store them in the bathrooms," she said. 

In another hospital, the staff had to wrap up bodies and store the corpse. This allows staff to disinfect the space so other patients can use the beds. 


Never-Ending Nightmare

As of Thursday, health officials have recorded more than 24,675 coronavirus cases in Ecuador, with 883 dead. The real toll, however, is thought to be far higher than reported. 

Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno acknowledged the country's official figures "are short." Experts suggest the cases may have exceeded 35,000.

The country's health system has also started to get overwhelmed. Many were discharged or referred to other hospitals to create spaces for COVID-19 patients. Medical staff also replaced anesthesia machines with ventilators- a piece of equipment that is now facing a shortage in supply. 

The patients also suffer from mental torture as they are surrounded by others who have worse symptoms. Some are also subjected to seeing the patient next to them suffocate and scream for oxygen. 

Health care workers have spoken up about the trauma that continues to haunt them as they serve a never-ending stream of patients. Nurses went from caring for 15 patients to double the number within the first 24 hours. 

When restrooms ran out of space for the corpses, the staff piled them on the floors and in armchairs. In emergency wards, the corridors were filled with more than 25 bodies. Some bodies were stored for up to 10 days. By then, fluids were oozing out of the bodies, creating a sanitary crisis. 

In family homes, dead relatives were left outside on the streets as funeral homes were unavailable for burials. Local governments created a task force to collect the bodies. They pick up more than 100 bodies a day, with hundreds still lying on the streets. 

Horrifying photos surfaced on social media platforms showing the dead covered by the cloth as families wait for collection. Authorities handed out cardboard coffins where residents can temporarily store their loved ones. 


Outbreak

Guayaquil makes up for 65 percent of the country's total number of cases, making it Ecuador's epicenter. The outbreak, which began in February, was said to have come from infected people returning from Spain. 

The surge in coronavirus cases prompted Ecuador's officials to impose strict social distancing measures and containment policies. 

Ecuadorians are not allowed to leave their home between 2 PM and 5 AM. Outside of the strict curfew, residents can only step out of their houses to get food and necessities, for essential work, and medical reasons. They are also required to wear masks and gloves. All public transportation has been canceled.