Argentina sets new daily record for coronavirus deaths

By Bala Chambers

LONDON (AA) - Argentina's Ministry of Health confirmed on Friday its highest daily coronavirus death toll for a second straight day.

Health officials registered 557 deaths and 27,884 infections.

The province of Buenos Aires recorded 14,223 infections while the city registered 2,929 infections.

The percentage of total occupancy of beds in overall adult intensive care units rose to 66.5% with 76.2% in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area.

President Alberto Fernandez and Governor of Buenos Aires Province Axel Kicillof held a meeting on Friday to discuss the epidemiological situation in the Buenos Aires metro area.

The main objective is to increase bed capacity in the province of Buenos Aires, according to reports.

Argentina has set daily records during the second wave of infections in recent weeks.

That has resulted in tighter restrictions being imposed to prevent movement and indoor activities in the metro area.

Health Minister Carla Vizzotti described Buenos Aires metropolitan area on Wednesday as "the epicenter of the pandemic.”

She said the country was experiencing "the worst moment since the pandemic began," noting that the health care system is at risk because of the rise in infections.

Argentina, with a population of more than 45 million, has registered more than 2.8 million cases of the virus and 61,176 deaths, according to Health Ministry data.

More than 2.47 million patients have recovered.