Ecuador's western city of Guayaquil, one of the hardest hit by novel coronavirus, is planning to build a mass grave as the government predicts an increase of deaths due to the virus.

Guayaquil's cleaning director Gustavo Zuñiga said the city "will implement an agreement to be able to build the corresponding site," during an interview with CNN's affiliate Ecuavisa on Friday.

The mass grave will have a capacity to hold about 300 bodies, according to Ecuavisa. A mausoleum will be built after it is closed, Zuñiga added.

There are at least 1,627 cases of coronavirus and 41 deaths in Ecuador, according to health authorities.