Brazil is facing “overburdening and even collapse of health systems” due to soaring COVID-19 cases, a report from the state-run Fiocruz Institute warned Tuesday, as the country set a new daily record number of coronavirus deaths.
Driving the news: The institute said more than 80% of intensive care beds in 25 of Brazil’s 27 capitals are occupied. In Rio de Janeiro, 93% of the IC beds are occupied and Brasília has only 3% available. The cities of Campo Grande (106%) and Porto Alegre (102%) have exceeded capacity.
- The Brazilian Ministry of Health reported 1,972 more deaths from the coronavirus and 70,764 new cases on Tuesday.
For the record: According to data from Johns Hopkins, the country has the second highest number of deaths (268,370) from the coronavirus, after the US (527,643).
- It has reported the third highest number of cases in the world – more than 11.1 million since the start of the pandemic.
What they say: Fiocruz epidemiologist Jesem Orellana told AFP that “the fight against COVID-19 was lost in 2020” and that there is “no chance of reversing this tragic circumstance” in the first half of this year.
- “The best we can do is hope for the miracle of mass vaccination or a radical change in the management of the pandemic,” he added.
- “Today, Brazil is a threat to humanity and an open-air laboratory where impunity in management seems to be the rule.”
Of interest: President Jair Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly downplayed the virus, said last week, according to Reuters, Brazilians should stop “whining” about the pandemic and leave the house despite orders to stay at home by local authorities, Reuters said.