The death toll from a fire that swept through a hospital Coronavirus ward in Iraq has climbed to at least 92, the Iraqi state news agency reported on Tuesday. The announcement came as anguished family members buried their loved ones and lashed out at the government over the tragedy.

The blaze that erupted on Monday in the city of Nasiriyah was the second catastrophic fire in less than three months to kill hospitalised Covid-19 patients in Iraq, where the health care system has been crippled by decades of war and sanctions. Two health officials said more than 100 people were also injured in the fire that torched the Coronavirus ward of al-Hussein Teaching Hospital in the city of Nasiriyah on Monday.