kiwibird
Editor, Senior Moderator
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-lead-normal-lives-as-deaths-soar-coronavirus
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/19/brazil-coronavirus-intensive-care-unit-capacity
As Covid-sceptic president continues to spurn lockdown calls, medics describe situation as terrifying and ?well beyond chaos?
Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro
Loud protests have erupted across Brazil as the country?s Covid-sceptic president, Jair Bolsonaro, struggled to defend his handling of the pandemic and claimed citizens would soon be able to resume their ?normal lives? despite the soaring death toll.
Bolsonaro, whose anti-science response to coronavirus has drawn international condemnation, made a televised address to the country on Tuesday night, as Brazil suffered by far its heaviest day of losses since the outbreak began last February.
According to a coalition of Brazilian news groups, which has been keeping a tally since Bolsonaro?s administration was accused of trying to suppress such information last year, a record 3,158 deaths were registered on Tuesday, as well as 84,996 new infections. Brazil?s official death toll ? already the world?s second highest after the US ? rose to 298,843 and was likely to exceed 300,000 on Wednesday. About a third of the global total of fatalities were recorded in Brazil on Tuesday
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/19/brazil-coronavirus-intensive-care-unit-capacity
As Covid-sceptic president continues to spurn lockdown calls, medics describe situation as terrifying and ?well beyond chaos?
Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro
Brazil?s healthcare system has been plunged into the most severe crisis in its history, with doctors overwhelmed and patients dying while they wait for intensive care beds as the country?s Covid-sceptic president, Jair Bolsonaro, continued to spurn calls for a lockdown that would save lives.
As the daily number of infections and deaths soared to new heights this week, researchers from Brazil?s leading healthcare institute, Fiocruz, said South America?s biggest country faced an unparalleled ?catastrophe?.
Covid intensive care units in virtually all of Brazil?s 26 states and the federal district containing the capital, Bras?lia, are now either at, or perilously close to capacity, the institute said, warning: ?The situation is absolutely critical.?