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| - Ukraine registered a record increase in coronavirus infections on Tuesday and officials warned the country is close to disaster with hospital beds and staff in short supply. The ex-Soviet country of 40 million people reported a record daily number of 8,899 infections. "We have passed the point of no return and are on the brink of disaster," Health Minister Maksym Stepanov told lawmakers, warning, "the worst is yet to come". One of Europe's poorest countries with an ageing public health system, Ukraine has more than 52,000 hospital beds reserved for coronavirus patients. Almost 70 percent are occupied, according to official figures. If the remaining spaces are filled, medical staff will be forced to prioritise treatment for patients "who have the best chances of survival," Stepanov warned. Officials have threatened to reintroduce a lockdown that was eased in May and June, criticising people for ignoring social distancing guidelines and other anti-virus measures. Stepanov has come under fire from opponents in part over his handling of the pandemic and is facing calls for his resignation. He said the health ministry was working to recruit medical students and specialists in other fields to cover the shortfall in doctors treating virus patients. Ukrainian media have recently reported the mass resignations of medical staff over a lack of personal protective equipment, increased workload and poor salaries. Parliament agreed to create a fund of some $2.3 billion aimed at tackling the pandemic, but $990 million was spent on road repair, local media reported. Critics of President Volodymyr Zelensky said the initiative was a PR stunt aimed at winning over voters ahead of elections this month that saw his party lose ground to opposition groups. Officials have reported more than 410,000 coronavirus cases and 7,500 fatalities across the country since the start of the pandemic. ant-dg/jbr/pvh
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