Brazil's coronavirus outbreak worsens as total cases near 500,000 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...sens-as-total-cases-near-500000-idUSKBN2360U8
Brazil is easing restrictions even though coronavirus deaths are at their highest, with President Bolsonaro saying death is 'everyone's destiny' https://www.businessinsider.com/bra...onavirus-deaths-peak-bolsonaro-ignores-2020-6 Brazil is reopening despite recording its highest coronavirus daily death tolls in two consecutive days this week. The country recorded 1,262 deaths from the coronavirus on Tuesday and 1,349 on Wednesday. More than 32,000 people have died and 530,000 have been infected by COVID-19 so far. But on Tuesday, stores, beaches, and other venues in major cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo were allowed to resume business. President Jair Bolsonaro has refused to take the virus seriously, saying on Tuesday he was "sorry for all the dead, but that's everyone's destiny." Brazil is easing restrictions despite logging record numbers of daily coronavirus fatalities, with President Jair Bolsonaro saying death is "everyone's destiny." On Wednesday, Brazil recorded the highest number of deaths from the coronavirus in a single day. The 1,349 new fatalities beat the previous record of 1,262 deaths, which was set the day before, according to data from the country's health ministry. The country's total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases also surpassed 500,000 this week. Only the US has more. Striking images published late last month showed row upon row of mass graves, laying bare the state of the country's crisis. (More at above url)
Brazil set to overtake Italy as country with third-highest coronavirus deaths https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/04/coronavirus-brazil-record-daily-death-toll-mexico Brazil is set to overtake Italy as the country with the third-highest Covid-19 death toll after a record 1,349 fatalities took its total to more than 32,500. Brazil’s interim health minister made no immediate comment on the figures, which, unusually, were published late on Wednesday night in a move government critics suspect was designed to bury the bad news. The health ministry blamed “technical” problems for the delay. (More at above url)
What do 6 U.S. States and Brazil have in common? They all fake and hide their COVID data. Brazil wiped months of data from its official COVID-19 tracker, the latest attempt by Jair Bolsonaro to play down the crisis https://www.businessinsider.com/bra...tracker-bolsonaro-accused-manipulation-2020-6 Brazil deleted months of COVID-19 data from its official tracker, prompting accusations of a cover-up by Jair Bolsonaro. The health ministry's Coronavirus Panel used to show death and infection totals, with breakdowns for each state. On Friday, it was replaced with one showing only new cases by state in the last 24 hours. Bolsonaro said on Facebook that the old website used data that was "not representative" of the current situation. Brazil is now the epicenter of the world's coronavirus outbreak, experiencing record-high daily death tolls last week. Only the US has more cases. Gilmar Mendez, a justice at Brazil's supreme court, said: "The manipulation of statistics is a maneuver of totalitarian regimes." Brazil deleted months of data from its official COVID-19 tracker, prompting president Jair Bolsonaro to be accused of censorship. On Friday, the health ministry's "Coronavirus Panel" was taken offline, according to Brazil's G1 Globo. By Saturday, it was back online, but with a fraction of the data. The previous version of the website showed the cumulative national tally of deaths and infections, and granular data for each of Brazil's 27 states and municipalities. The new version showed only new deaths and cases recorded over the last 24 hours at state level, with no national tally. Bolsonaro wrote on his personal Facebook page that the old website used data that was "not representative" and that the new version will "allow for more accurate data on the situation." "The disclosure of 24-hour data lets you monitor the reality of the country right now, and define appropriate strategies to help the population," he said. Several high-profile figures accused Bolsonaro of twisting the narrative — something he has done before. "The manipulation of statistics is a maneuver of totalitarian regimes," Gilmar Mendez, a justice at Brazil's supreme court, wrote on Twitter. "The trick will not exempt responsibility for the eventual genocide." Luiz Henrique Mandetta, the minister for health fired by Bolsonaro in April, said on Saturday: "From the point of view of health it is very bad. It is a tragedy what we are seeing, the dismantling of information." The update to the website came at the end of what was Brazil's worst week so far. The country logged a record 1,262 deaths on Tuesday, only to be bested a day later when 1,349 new fatalities were reported. (More at above url)
Brazil resumes publishing Covid-19 data after court ruling BBC - https://tinyurl.com/ydaedlts The health ministry stopped releasing cumulative totals for deaths and cases on Saturday, provoking uproar. On Tuesday a Supreme Court judge ordered the government to release the figures amid accusations of censorship. Brazil has the world's second-highest number of cases - and has now more daily deaths than any other nation. Earlier, President Jair Bolsonaro said the change in policy was a result of actions being taken to improve Covid-19 reporting. The health ministry said it would only report cases and deaths that had occurred in the past 24 hours. But critics accused the far-right president's government of data manipulation, with Brazil's national council of state health secretaries describing the move as "authoritarian, insensitive, inhuman and unethical". Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes told the ministry to "fully re-establish" the publication of Covid-19 data in the interests of public health. Brazil has the world's second-highest number of cases, and has recently had more new deaths than any other nation. The Latin American country has recorded more than 700,000 infections, but because of insufficient testing, the number is believed to be much higher. More than 37,000 people have died, the third-highest toll in the world. Using data from alternative sources, Brazilian media outlets started publishing their own coronavirus figures to keep the public informed. They criticised President Bolsonaro for his handling of the pandemic, during which he has opposed lockdown measures and downplayed the virus as "a little flu". On Tuesday, the president reiterated his threat to withdraw Brazil from the World Health Organization (WHO), accusing it of not acting responsibly during the pandemic. Last week, Mr Bolsonaro branded the health agency a "partisan political organisation", echoing comments made by US President Donald Trump, an ally of his. The president has repeatedly joined supporters in protests in recent months, ignoring social-distancing advice. What did the judge say? In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Moraes said the health ministry must "fully re-establish the daily divulgation of epidemiological data on the Covid-19 pandemic", including on its website. The judge made the ruling on Monday night in response to a legal challenge from three political parties. Mr Moraes gave Mr Bolsonaro's government 48 hours to release the full figures again, O Global newspaper reported. He said the health emergency in Brazil was so serious, it required all government agencies to "put into effect public health protection". The judge "highlighted the disastrous consequences for the population if internationally recognised measures are not adopted, such as the collection, analysis, storage and dissemination of relevant epidemiological data". What is the situation in Brazil? Only the US has more coronavirus infections than Brazil, the most populous country in Latin America. Health experts say infections are expected to rise even further, as the outbreak is still weeks away from its peak, putting more strain on hospitals. Last month, Brazil's death toll surpassed that of Italy's, placing the nation third in the world, behind only the US and the UK. Mr Bolsonaro has played down the risks of the virus, comparing it to "a bit of a cold". Two health ministers have left the post since the outbreak began in disagreement with the president's handling of the pandemic. The president has continued to call for lockdown measures imposed by local authorities to be lifted, arguing that they will wreck the economy. The president has also accused state governors and mayors of using the issue for political gain, as many who have taken stricter measures oppose his government.
Let's see how things are going in the No-Lockdown paradise of Brazil... Brazil tops 1 million Covid-19 cases. It may pass the US next, becoming the worst-hit country on the planet https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/19/amer...onavirus-jair-bolsonaro-cases-intl/index.html Brazil has now reported more than 1 million confirmed cases of coronavirus and 48,954 deaths, marking a grim milestone for the South American country. The health ministry on Friday reported 54,771 new cases, a record daily spike that brought the nationwide total to 1,032,913. The Covid-19 pandemic is quickly spreading with no sign of slowing down, as major cities lift social distancing measures and begin reopening restaurants, shops and other nonessential businesses. Many experts believe the number of cases could surpass the United States and that Brazil may soon become the country worst hit by the virus. Despite this, President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay the threat by questioning global medical authorities and accusing opponents of trying to discredit his leadership. (More at above url)
Let's see how things are going in Bolsanaro's No-Lockdown Paradise... More than 50,000 dead as Brazil coronavirus outbreak deepens Right-wing President Jair Bolsanaro's handling of the pandemic has raised questions about his leadership. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...navirus-outbreak-deepens-200622002933861.html Brazil, the country worst hit by coronavirus after the United States, officially passed 50,000 coronavirus deaths on Sunday, a blow for a country already grappling with more than one million cases, rising political instability and a crippled economy. Brazil now has a total of 1,085,038 confirmed cases and 50,617 deaths, compared with 49,976 on Saturday, the Health Ministry said. Experts say the true numbers are a lot higher because of a lack of widespread testing. Latin America's largest country has typically recorded more than 1,000 deaths a day, but usually registers fewer at the weekend. Brazil confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus on February 26 and passed one million cases on Friday. Since first arriving in the country, the virus' rapid spread has eroded support for right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro and raised fears of economic collapse after years of sluggish growth. Bolsonaro, sometimes called the "Tropical Trump", has been widely criticised for his handling of the crisis. The country still has no permanent health minister after losing two since April, after coming into conflict with the president. Bolsonaro has shunned social distancing, calling it a "job-killing measure" more dangerous than the virus itself. He has also promoted two anti-malarial drugs as remedies, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, despite little evidence they work. On Sunday, Bolsonaro said the military serves the will of the people and its mission is to defend democracy, adding fuel to a raging debate about the armed forces' role amid rumbling fears of political fragility. His comments came on the same day his supporters and detractors gathered in cities across the country, in a stark symbol of the polarisation in Latin America's largest country.
Brazil Reaches Deal to Produce Oxford Covid-19 Vaccine https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...l-with-u-k-to-produce-oxford-covid-19-vaccine Brazil, the nation with the second-highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths, reached a deal with the U.K. to produce the Covid-19 vaccine that’s been developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca Plc. Brazil will spend $287 million to buy vaccine doses and ingredients for as many as 100 million shots that it will be able to produce locally with the technology transfer, Health Ministry Executive Secretary Elcio Franco said at a press conference in Brasilia today. The first order, regardless of the final results of the vaccine clinical trials, will cost Brazil $127 million, Franco said. That will include 30.4 million doses to be delivered in December and January, as well as the technology transfer. “The research risk we’re taking is necessary given the urgency of an effective solution to maintain public health and resume economic growth,” he added. Once the vaccine proves its efficacy, 70 million additional doses will be locally produced at Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, known as Fiocruz, and its Bio-Manguinhos immunology institute at the cost of $160 million. Brazil reported 1,109 new deaths on Saturday, bringing the total fatality count to 57,070, while the number of cases increased by 38,693 to 1.31 million, making it the most infected country after the U.S.
Brazil still has a lower confirmed case fatality rate of 4.27%, US 4.84% compare that with UK 13.97%, Italy 14.45%, France 18.28%, Belgium 15.86%. This is from the Real Clear Politics website. Japan also, did not shutdown its economy but, has only 971 deaths. Lots of variables there. Masks have a higher effect reducing transmission and infections. South Korea also, has much lower and death rates too and most of its citizens wear masks. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/coronavirus/