Brazil virus deaths surge as pandemic bites in Latin America

by Pascale Trouiland with AFP bureaus

Brazil saw its highest number of coronavirus deaths yet Tuesday as, more than four months after COVID-19 first emerged in China, the force of the pandemic was beginning to hit hard in Latin America.

Brazil’s surge came as the World Health Organization agreed to launch an investigation into its response to the disease, whose unyielding march across the globe since last year has left more than 320,000 dead and shattered economies.

The illness dismissed by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as a “little flu” claimed 1,179 lives there in the past 24 hours, the first time Brazil’s daily toll has exceeded 1,000.

Infections — already the third highest globally — are also climbing by the thousands, with the outbreak in the world’s sixth largest country set to accelerate, and the peak not expected until early June.

Chile also reported a spike in cases, and deployed soldiers in poor neighbourhoods in the capital Santiago following violent protests against food shortages and unemployment.

In the US the outlook remained bleak, with a new modeling average released Tuesday suggesting virus deaths could surpass 113,000 by mid-June, underscoring America’s status as the nation worst affected by the pandemic and piling more pressure on President Donald Trump.

The US has recorded more than 91,000 deaths and 1.5 million cases of COVID-19, by far the most of any country.

Britain has the second highest number of deaths at more than 41,000; while Russia has the second highest number of infections, more than 300,000. (AFP)

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