Quito, May 1 (IANS) Ecuador's Ministry of Public Health reported on Friday 1,173 new Covid-19 infections and 72 more deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the national counts to 381,862 and 13,480 respectively.

Pichincha province reported 595 cases in the one day, with 525 corresponding to the capital Quito, the most populated city and epicenter of the pandemic in the South American country.

The South American country is facing a rise in infections, with overcrowded hospitals and long waiting lists for intensive care unit beds, the Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

As of Wednesday, the country has inoculated 861,393 people, with 633,421 having received their first dose and 227,972 their second, according to official data.

--IANS int/rs