Coronavirus: Woman reported dead was found alive weeks later in Ecuador

An Ecuadorean woman has been found alive weeks after mistakenly being declared a victim of coronarivus, with her family now wondering whose ashes they were sent.

Alba Maruri's relatives - who live in the Covid-19 stricken city of Guayaquil - were last month told she had died after being admitted to an intensive care unit, according to the BBC.

The 74-year-old woke from a three-week coma on Friday (local time) and asked to call her sister.

The hospital had since apologised, with officials visiting the family in person to explain the unit was in disarray because of a flood of Covid-19 cases.

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Ecuador's health system has been overwhelmed by coronavirus, with 23,000 cases and more than 550 deaths recorded so far. Guayaquil is the epicentre of the outbreak.

Maruri's family said they were still unsure whose ashes they had in their home after having a body cremated.

The BBC reported the relatives had been shown a corpse at the morgue but had to keep their distance to avoid catching the virus, and mistook it for Maruri.

They have reportedly asked for compensation and to be paid back for the cremation.

The South American nation is one of the worst hit in the region.

United States President Donald Trump said this week the US would be sending desperately needed ventilators to Ecuador, along with other Latin American countries.