Jordan protesters hold nationwide demonstrations for second day after Covid-19 oxygen deaths outrage

Hundreds of people defied nighttime curfews in the capital city Amman, Irbid in the country's north, and Karak in the south, among other places, according to Reuters.

Protesters in Jordan's third-largest city, Irbid, reportedly chanted "down with the government, we don't fear coronavirus", as they marched through the streets demanding an end to Covid-19 restrictions.

"I am here because of the catastrophe. We want to put on trial those responsible for this and then bring down the government," one protester in Salt was quoted by Reuters as saying.

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Anger has grown in Jordan against the government amid the coronavirus crisis, which has ravaged its economy and caused unemployment to surge to a record 24 percent.

Protesters have demanded that the government loosen restrictions and end draconian laws enacted at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

Sunday's protests followed similar demonstrations a day earlier when hundreds of people gathered outside a hospital in Salt where six Covid-19 patients died due to a shortage of oxygen supplies.

Amid public outcry over the deaths, the hospital's director and four other officials were detained over alleged mismanagement.