Photographer: Victor Moriyama / Bloomberg
Photographer: Victor Moriyama / Bloomberg
Brazil has reported more than 4,000 daily deaths from Covid-19 for the first time, while the pandemic continues to erupt in the vast nation.
The Ministry of Health registered 4,195 deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total since the arrival of the virus to 336,947. It is the second largest number globally, following only the cases in the USA, which have increased by 86,979 in the last 24 hours, leading to the value of 13.1 million.
“If Brazil maintains its current pace, the country is likely to reach 5,000 daily deaths in April,” said Christovam Barcellos, a researcher at Fiocruz.
The largest nation in Latin America has been blown away heavy milestones in 2021, almost reporting daily records of cases and deaths. The rebirth of the virus, fueled by lax social distancing measures and a new, more contagious variant, has led the country to quickly surpass 200,000 and then 300,000 deaths in just over two months, leaving hospitals overwhelmed.
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In addition to the strain, which originated in the Amazonian city of Manaus and has spread rapidly since the New Year, Sao Paulo authorities have also detected a new Covid-19 variant in the city of Sorocaba, near the state capital, the local government said on Wednesday. The new strain is said to be similar to the one found in South Africa and there is still no evidence that the variant is circulating in other regions of the country.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian authorities are trying to speed up the pace of vaccinations. The country had taken 25.4 million photos since Monday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, enough to cover 9.4% of the population with a single shot. The country vaccinated 1 million people in 24 hours for the first time on Thursday.
Anvisa, the country’s health regulator, on Wednesday authorized the emergency use of Johnson & Johnson jab – the agency’s fourth vaccine. Brazil has purchased 38 million booster doses, but the doses are not expected to arrive until the second half of the year.
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At a time when there are few vaccines available, the only measure that could limit the contagion is the blockade, which should be accompanied by measures to help the most vulnerable, said Ana Freitas Ribeiro, a public health expert.
However, President Jair Bolsonaro continues to oppose social distancing measures imposed by local governments. On Wednesday, the health minister and the head of the Senate left the first meeting of the joint working group to oversee response to the pandemic, which supports the importance of masks and avoids large gatherings during the upcoming Easter holidays. When it was his turn to speak, Bolsonaro repeated familiar remarks about recovering his normal life and criticizing the blockages.
“Because our federal government denies the pandemic and has a different discourse from state governments, the situation is worse,” said Ribeiro, a doctor at Emilio Ribas Hospital in Sao Paulo.
Of Brazil’s 27 states, 18 have more than 90 percent UCI, Fiocruz said in a report. The combination of heavy transmission and overwhelmed hospitals contributed to the steady and rising number of deaths, according to the report.
Barcellos added that the collapse of the health system could also lead to an increase in deaths due to other diseases, as patients cannot receive care.