Central News Agency GENEVA, June 30 (CNA) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said today that Venezuela's medical system is under significant strain after two deadly earthquakes last week damaged some hospitals and caused staff to go missing. Reuters reported that Venezuela was hit by two strong earthquakes, magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, last week. Hundreds of buildings were damaged or leveled, killing 1,700 people and injuring 5,000. WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said at a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, that at least three medical centers were severely damaged, and another six were damaged or only partially operational. He said, referring to a survey of 21 medical facilities, "The remaining medical facilities are still operating, but are under significant strain." He added, "Preliminary survey results show chaos in medical services and patient flow, with overcrowding and an increase in surgical backlogs." Several healthcare professionals specializing in maternal care in La Guaira remain unaccounted for, creating what he called a significant gap in obstetric care. He stated that thousands of people displaced by the earthquakes also face the risk of outbreaks of diseases such as yellow fever and dengue fever, especially given the relatively low vaccination coverage in the area. (Intern Editor: Wang Bo-jie / Editor: Yang Zhao-yan) 1150630 Stand with facts, your every sponsorship is a force to protect press freedom. Download the CNA "First News" APP to get the latest news in real-time. No unauthorized reproduction, public broadcast, public transmission, or use of the text, images, and audio on this website is permitted.