Brazil is expected to exceed the January high in the United States for deaths caused by COVID-19, as the country faces a deadly rise in the virus, Reuters reported.
On Tuesday, Brazil set a daily record of deaths from the virus, with more than 4,000 deaths reported in a 24-hour period. The country is facing consistent daily records of deaths since February.
The current growth is attributed to a more contagious and rapidly spreading local variant, P.1, along with few virus protection measures implemented in the country, notes Reuters.
As the United States has stepped up its vaccination efforts, Brazil has moved to become the epicenter of the world’s coronavirus. The US, however, still leads in total deaths globally.
Data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health show that the country suffered almost 337,000 deaths through COVID-19, while the United States suffered more than 555,000 deaths.
To date, P.1 strain has accounted for a relatively small percentage of all COVID-19 cases in the US
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes, however, that the strain, along with other mutations, could disrupt vaccination efforts.