In Brazil, the second country in the world with the largest number of victims of Covid-19, many residents of poor neighborhoods have not been able to be diagnosed due to a lack of available tests.

As a result, many of them may have been infected with the virus without knowing it, and are now suffering from serious after-effects. 

Interviewed by France 24, Mônica Cirne Albuquerque, physiotherapist, provides free treatment to the inhabitants of the northern suburbs of Rio, Alemão.

Symptoms vary from patient to patient.

"Muscle fatigue, weakness, breathing difficulties ...", she explains.

More than one hundred patients with this type of sequelae are waiting to be treated.

"Nobody talks about the aftermath of the Covid. I have been studying this since March. I already knew that it was going to fall on us. Nobody goes into the favelas, nobody takes care of it," laments the specialist. 

>> Read also: Covid-19: the milestone of four million cases crossed in Brazil, but deaths are down

The inhabitants of the Alemão favela can be tested for free for a week.

So far, a quarter of the results are positive.

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