Coronavirus: Brazil records a sad record - but there is a new hotspot in South America

South America is the new corona virus hotspot. In Chile, the entire capital is quarantined because of Covid-19. All news in the ticker.

• The corona virus * causes huge problems worldwide, presents health systems and the economy with major challenges.
• The number of corona deaths in Brazil continues to increase (update from May 31, 9:07 am).
• Chile is the new corona hotspot in South America (update from June 2, 1 p.m.).
• Here you will find the basic facts about the corona virus and the corona news from Germany. You can also find the current number of cases in Germany as a map. The following recommendations for Corona protective measures * are currently available.
  

Update June 3, 2020 20:16: Given further increases in infection with the coronavirus , the Chilean government has extended around the stringent output restrictions in the metropolitan area around the capital, Santiago de Chile for another week until June 12.

Corona virus: Brazil with negative record - Chile new hotspot

Update from June 3, 2020, 5:03 p.m .:  In just one day, Brazil registered 1,262 corona deaths, a new negative record. The first coronavirus- related death was reported in Brazil in March  , a 62-year-old man. Since then, so many infected people have never died in one day.

The total number of corona deaths in the largest country in Latin America, with 210 million inhabitants, rose to 31,199. The Ministry also reported 28,936 new infections, with a total of 555,383 infected.

According to data from the US University of Johns Hopkins, Brazil continues to rank fourth in the number of fatalities and second in the number of infected people among the worst affected countries - behind the United States. The actual number is likely to be much higher due, among other things, to the lack of tests and laboratory results that have not yet been evaluated. Scientific studies suggest that the number of infected people is at least seven times higher than previously known.

Meanwhile there is also news from Sweden. The country is taking a special route in the Corona crisis. Now there is massive criticism - this comes from chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell of all places.

Coronavirus: South African court overturns government measures - unconstitutional

Update of June 3, 2020, 11:30 a.m .: According to the Supreme Court in Pretoria, parts of the corona restrictions imposed in South Africa are not constitutional and therefore void. The court set the government a good two-week period for rectification - as long as the existing restrictions remain in effect for the time being. The panel had thus responded to the lawsuit of a previously unknown group called Liberty Fighters late Tuesday evening. Certain restrictions on constitutionally anchored fundamental democratic rights are not rationally linked to a limitation of Covid 19 infections , the verdict said.

The plaintiffs had, among other things, bumped into the guidelines of the responsible ministers, some of which were heavily criticized and described as irrational. South Africa had the end of March in the fight against the coronavirus nation's strict curfew imposed - were banned initially even jogging laps. The sale of alcohol and tobacco was also prohibited. On Monday, the five-stage restriction procedure was then lowered to three and relaxed. The sale of alcohol was again permitted under certain conditions, but that of tobacco was not. The tobacco industry, on the other hand, has taken legal action.

Economic experts predict the country will lose jobs and many small and medium-sized businesses will collapse due to restrictions. In South Africa, more than 35,800 cases of Covid-19 and 755 deaths have been confirmed. Winter is beginning in the southern hemisphere. The government therefore expects the numbers to increase further.

Coronavirus: New Covid-19 hotspot in South America - an entire city of millions is quarantined

Update from June 2, 1 p.m .:  South America has a second Corona hotspot besides Brazil : Chile . According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 100,000 people have already contracted the insidious corona virus there - at least.

More than 1,100 people are said to have died in the South American country after being infected with the virus. And: The Medical Association has now warned that almost all intensive care beds are occupied. The healthcare system in Chile is one of the best on the entire continent.

Santiago: Medical personnel put an stretcher in an ambulance after disinfection.

© dpa / Francisco Longa

Spectacular: Because of the corona crisis , the greater Santiago de Chile area is under quarantine. 5.2 million people live only in the Chilean capital. In the course of the corona virus protection measures, riots between groups of young men and the police have repeatedly occurred recently.

The World Health Organization (WHO) expects the Covid 19 pandemic to peak in South and Latin America shortly .

Coronavirus pandemic: WHO believes climax in South America

Update from 7.30 p.m .: The peak of the corona spread in South and Central America is probably still to come. At least that is the assessment of the World Health Organization WHO . 

"South and especially Central America have certainly become zones of intensive infections," said WHO emergency coordinator Michael Ryan on Monday evening. "I don't think we have already reached the peak of the broadcasts there." It is difficult to predict when the peak will be reached. 

In addition to the particularly badly affected Brazil , Peru, Chile and Mexico are also countries with a high number of new infections . The health systems of many countries in Central and South America are under enormous pressure. "They need our support and solidarity," said Ryan.

WHO report: Corona crisis has serious effects on the care of other diseases

Update from 1:54 p.m .: The corona pandemic has seriously affected the care of otherwise ill people worldwide. This was the result of a survey by the World Health Organization (WHO) , which was carried out in 155 countries in May. "Countries need to find innovative solutions to maintain critical health services against non-communicable diseases while fighting Covid-19 ," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday.

According to the survey, 31 percent of the countries had to restrict or completely interrupt care for acute cardiovascular problems . 42 percent curtailed care in cancer patients , 49 percent in diabetes patients and more than half were unable to maintain care in people with high blood pressure as usual. Rehabilitation programs have been cut back in 63 percent of countries. Prevention programs, such as breast cancer detection , were also affected. The cuts were particularly strong in low-income countries.

In most cases, appointments were canceled due to the withdrawal of staff to treat Covid-19 patients, or because people were unable to attend due to the restrictions on going out. WHO estimates that 41 million people die from non-communicable diseases each year. That is 71 percent of deaths worldwide.

Coronavirus: USA send drug to Brazil - contrary to medical recommendations

10:53 AM update: The United States is sending two million doses of  hydroxychloroquine to Brazil against the coronavirus - contrary to medical recommendations. The antimalarial drug is to be used for prevention by nurses and doctors as well as for the treatment of infected people. This emerges from a joint declaration by both countries on Sunday. To recommend the drug for use in corona patients, the Brazilian Ministry of Health recently changed its guide for doctors. Health Minister Nelson Teich, himself a medical doctor, even asked for his release because he was opposed to the operation, unlike right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro .

The drug is commonly used to treat malaria and certain autoimmune diseases . It has not yet been conclusively clarified whether the drug is also suitable for the treatment of Covid-19 lung disease. The side effects of the preparation, however, are considered to be well researched. Among other things, the intake can lead to an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia. Nevertheless, some, such as Bolsonaro or US President Donald Trump , hope that the drug will help combat the rampant coronavirus pandemic. 

Coronavirus in Brazil: More than 500,000 people have been shown to be infected

Update from June 1, 8:34 am : In Brazil, the number of corona cases has risen to over half a million. Evidence shows that 514,849 people have been infected with the virus. The Ministry of Health of the country announced on Sunday (local time). After the USA, Brazil is the country with the most corona infections . However, since relatively little is tested in the largest country in Latin America, the actual number of infected people is likely to be significantly higher.

At least 29,314 people have died in connection with Covid-19. This puts Brazil in fourth place in the number of fatalities behind the USA, Great Britain and Italy . In many cities in Brazil, hospitals have already reached their limit. The authorities set up provisional clinics in football stadiums and have new graves dug in huge areas.

Corona in Brazil: President Bolsonaro calls for protective measures - and the number of deaths increases

Update from May 31, 9:07 am: The number of corona deaths in Brazil continues to rise rapidly. 28,834 people have died as a result of the virus. The South American country has thus overtaken France and has the fourth most fatalities worldwide. Only in the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy were there more deaths. In Brazil, 498,440 people with the demonstrably coronavirus infected, as the Brazilian Health Ministry said on Saturday. 

Brazil's right-wing populist President Jair Bolsonaro considers Covid-119 to be "light flu" - and rejects protective measures . He fears that a lockdown could damage the economy. However, a number of states have now imposed exit restrictions and shutdowns to slow the spread of the virus.

Almost 30,000 corona deaths in Brazil - but President Bolsonaro continues to downplay the virus.

© AFP / EVARISTO SA

Corona in Brazil: President Bolsonaro continues to defy all measures - and hugs his followers

Update of May 30, 8:25 p.m .:  Coronavirus * is still spreading rapidly in Brazil , but in contrast to most states, the head of state does not seem to want to do much about the pandemic. Right-wing populist President Jair Bolsonaro once again disregarded the recommended protective measures, as reported by the G1 news portal .

Corona virus in Brazil: President Bolsonaro ignores corona measures

The President is said to have hugged some of his supporters during a visit to a snack bar in Abadiânia, southwest of the capital Brasília ,  took photos with them and was not wearing a face mask . The president, who was already wearing out two ministers of health during the Corona crisis, rejected all protective measures and called the lung disease Covid-19 * a "mild flu".

Bolsonaro provoca aglomeração em restaurante em Abadiânia (GO) https://t.co/NIR82LwXOE pic.twitter.com/9cnUoH4Vs0

The visit of the president caused a high level of interest in the village, as a staff member of the restaurant reported. According to the staff member a force in the snack for customers mouth guard duty as well as rules to comply with the minimum distance, as in the state of Goiás prescribed is.

Brazil has become the new focus of the global corona pandemic * in the past few days and weeks. A total of more than 465,000 people have been proven to be infected with the coronavirus there, and over 27,800 patients died in connection with the lung disease Covid-19.

Em Abadiânia a população recebe a visita do presidente Bolsonaro pic.twitter.com/oghUlG89m3

Corona virus worldwide: Israel is now threatened with the second lockdown

Update from May 30, 8:49 am:  After South Korea, Israel has also reached a self-imposed, critical mark. On Friday, the number of daily new infections had risen to 101 - as a condition for the easing, the government had set that the daily new infections remain below 100. 

"We had a period of euphoria," said Moshe Bar Siman Tow, director general of the health ministry, at a press conference . "Now we have received a wake-up call." Israel had reopened schools, restaurants and bars since mid-May. With a population of 9.1 million, there are 16,987 officially registered cases of infection in Israel , 284 people have died in connection with the coronavirus (source: JHU). 

Israeli security forces monitor people who are holding their Friday prayers outside a closed mosque

© AFP / AHMAD GHARABLI

Meanwhile, an international study shows an increased risk of death for people who are operated on during an infection with Sars-CoV2. Data from 1128 patients from 235 hospitals in 24 countries would have shown that even with routine interventions, the mortality rate can increase to around 20 percent. It is therefore advisable to rule out an infection before surgery. The entire study was published in the science magazine The Lancet - it is currently being examined whether the data can also be transferred to Germany.

Corona virus in Brazil: country has more deaths than Spain

Mourning in Brazil : On Friday, the largest country in Latin America reported 1124 further deaths related to the corona virus . A total of 27,878 people have died in connection with the Coroan virus. This puts the country in fourth place in the corona map of Johns Hopkins University in terms of deaths - after the USA, Great Britain, Italy and France - and overtakes Spain. However, there are always indications of high dark figures, so that these statistics can only be interpreted as an indication of the dimensions of the disease.

During the epidemic , images from Brazil reach the world that could hardly be more different: they show raging children in the sea and people in safety suits digging graves. 

Coronavirus, Rio de Janeiro: Graves are dug at the Sao Franciso Xavier cemetery

© AFP / CARL DE SOUZA

In addition, reports from the town hall in Manaus say that a 105-year-old patient left the hospital recovering on Friday - these pictures were intended to spread a message of hope .

Coronavirus - Brazil: A 105-year-old woman is said to have recovered from the hospital in Manaus.

© dpa / ---

There are always new insights for the global containment of the virus - researchers assume that the spread by so-called "Super Spreader" could be far higher than in other epidemics. Superspreaders make the strategy to contain the corona virus more difficult and easier at the same time.

Coronavirus in South Korea: restrictions in Seoul are tightened again

Update of May 28, 2:05 p.m .:  In view of the further significant increase in infections with the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus , South Korea has tightened the restrictions for people in the metropolis of Seoul and the surrounding area after they have already been gradually relaxed.

With immediate effect, public facilities including museums, theaters and multi-purpose halls in the greater Seoul area would be closed again by June 14. This was announced by Health Minister Park Neung Hoo on Thursday after a crisis meeting chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye Kyun. "The next two weeks are critical," he said.

It is very likely that the outbreak has already spread to the communities, Park said. He called on people to avoid gatherings if possible over the next two weeks. In the capital this month, an increase in infections among club visitors had already triggered the fear of a new wave of mass infections .

Coronavirus: South Korea fears second wave of infection 

Update from May 28, 7.15 a.m .: In South Korea, the number of new corona infections is increasing steadily and significantly. The authorities are now reporting one of the highest increases in more than 53 days. 

On Thursday, the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 79 new infections, 67 of which came from the Seoul metropolitan area, which is home to about half of the country's 51 million people. Infection chains are becoming increasingly difficult to trace back to the health authorities. 

A corona outbreak in a logistics center of an online mail order company in the city of Bucheon, west of Seoul, was of great concern. 4000 employees should undergo a virus test. 69 cases have already been confirmed.

The authorities suspect that the first case of infection in the logistics center can be traced back to an outbreak among club guests in Seoul . In early May, 250 cases of infection were attributed to several clubs and bars after a 29-year-old traveled with Covid-19 in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon.

South Korea quickly got a grip on the coronavirus outbreak at the end of February. To date, 11,344 coronavirus cases have been registered, including 269 fatalities.  

Coronavirus pandemic: Mexico death toll rises rapidly 

Update of May 28, 7:00 a.m .: The number of corona deaths in Mexico is increasing rapidly. So far, 8,597 people have died in connection with the coronavirus

Johns Hopkins University  with. Most recently, 463 new deaths occurred within 24 hours. The number of unreported cases is probably much higher. 

According to a study presented in the magazine "Nexos", more than 8,000 more death certificates were issued in Mexico City alone from January 1 to May 20 than in the first five months of the previous four years - with a rapidly increasing trend. In Mexico, very little is tested for the virus in international comparison - so far, a good 78,000 infections have been registered. 

Update of May 26, 12:35 p.m .:  The United States continues to be the worst affected by the corona pandemic worldwide. However, the development seems to be slowing down. The American CDC reported a total of 1,637,456 people infected (an increase of 15,342 new cases) and 97,669 deaths on Monday. That means 620 people died of the coronavirus in one day  . Compared to the previous days, this is a significant slowdown, since the number of deaths in the days before had always been over 1000.

While the number is tending to decrease in the United States, Brazil is currently being overwhelmed by the pandemic. According to the WHO , which reports on data from individual nations, there were 16,508 new infections in the country ruled by President Bolsonaro on May 25 (total: 347,398). Accordingly, 965 people died of Covid-19 within a 24-hour period (total: 22,013). For the first time, Brazil would have more new infections and deaths in one day than the United States. 

However, the WHO reports significantly higher figures for the USA than the CDC. Here, in the same reporting that the figures for Brazil come from, there is talk of 24,151 new infections and 1,852 new deaths in the United States on May 25. The United States would continue to record the highest number of new infections and deaths.

Also read: Do recovered patients still carry the coronavirus? A study has now clarified this.

Corona in Brazil: Bolsonaro disturbs at demonstration, mayor is fed up - "Too stupid to do this"

Update from May 25, 7:10 p.m .: The number of  corona victims continues to rise in Brazil . Nevertheless, Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro is violatedin his public appearances continue to violate the distance rules and hygiene requirements. Among other things, he recently welcomed several demonstrators by handshake. At this point he had long since ceased to wear a mask. His stubborn behavior is sharply criticized from many sides. 

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro often does without a mask.

© AFP / EVARISTO SA

Arthur Virgilio Neto, the mayor of the Amazon metropolis of Manaus, is now publicly attacking  the president. He demands resignation. Bolsonaro should "shut up and stay at home," said Neto. He also accused Bolsonaro of dreaming of a dictatorship. "But he's too stupid to do that," Neto told CNN .

By Sunday, around 363,000 cases of infection and more than 22,600 fatalities had been counted in Brazil . The number of unreported cases is probably much higher. After all, comparatively little is tested in Brazil. 

The same precarious situation can be seen in Ecuador. There, a pastor from Miesbach helps Corona patients - and also buries the dead. The 82-year-old Miesbach pastor himself belongs to the Corona risk group.

Corona outbreak in China: Wuhan's laboratory head trumps Trump - "How could it escape if ..."

Update of May 25, 11.30 a.m .:  Japan has prematurely lifted the Corona emergency for the entire island kingdom. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also released the Tokyo metropolitan area and the northernmost province of Hokkaido on Monday . He had already lifted the state of emergency for the rest of the country.

The emergency was originally scheduled to run until May 31, with people in Japan only being asked to stay at home if possible. The situation was contained so that the spread of the coronavirus Sars-CoV-2 could be prevented, it said. 

The trend of daily new infections * has been pointing down for some time. Japan has around 17,300 infections and around 850 deaths. Critics had accused Abe's government of doing much less testing than other countries. However, other experts argue that Japan has far fewer deaths and those with severe symptoms.

Corona virus worldwide: Eleven "imported cases" in China

Update of May 25, 9:50 a.m .:  As reported by n-tv, China has confirmed eleven new coronavirus cases. According to the Health Commission, all new infections come from immigrants and are so-called "imported cases" . One of the infected is in the southwest province of Sichuan, the remaining ten are in Inner Mongolia.

The United States is hardest hit internationally by the pandemic. US President Donald Trump now wants to tackle easing.

Update of May 24, 8:05 pm:  After a week-long ban on alcohol under the corona restrictions in South Africa , President Cyril Ramaphosa now wants to relax this regulation. In early June, nationwide corona restrictions would be downgraded from existing level four to level three, Ramaphosa said in a speech to the nation on Sunday evening. This would allow alcohol to be consumed at home again. However, the sale will only be allowed under strict conditions at certain times. More details on this should be announced later, he said. The sale of tobacco products remains banned due to health risks.

South Africa had imposed a country-wide curfew at the end of March in the fight against the corona virus . It was considered one of the strictest in the world - even jogging or Gassigeh laps were prohibited. Ramaphosa has confirmed more than 22,500 cases of Covid-19 in the country to date .

Researchers from Munich now want to have identified a marker that could be used to predict how a corona disease works.

Corona in China: Laboratory in Wuhan denies the origin of the coronavirus outbreak

Update of May 24, 10:52 am : US President Donald Trump has repeatedly described the high-security laboratory in Wuhan as the starting point for the coronavirus pandemic. Now the laboratory in Wuhan again firmly rejects the allegations. Such allegations, including those from US President Donald Trump, are "a pure invention, " said laboratory head Wang Yanyi in an interview broadcast on Saturday evening by the state television broadcaster CGTN.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology is home to the largest virus bank in Asia. It is located a few kilometers from a fish and game market from which the novel coronavirus Sars-CoV-2 spread, according to Chinese sources, in December. This had sparked speculation that the virus might have come from the laboratory or had even been created on purpose.

Researchers in the laboratory have succeeded in isolating corona viruses from bats, the director said in an interview (recorded on May 13). These three living strains of coronavirus matched but did not match the causative agent of Covid-19. The laboratory only received samples of the novel virus on December 30. The genome was decrypted on January 2 and then all information was passed on to the WHO on January 11. Before that, her team knew nothing about the existence of the virus, Wang said, adding, "How could it escape from our laboratory if we never had it?"  

#EXCLUSIVE Dir. Of #Wuhan lab says virus leakage is pure fabrication # COVID19 pic.twitter.com/oqghAcADCU

A study now expresses a bad suspicion: were there 41 Corona deaths as a result of a Champions League game?

Update from May 23, 9.45 p.m .:  In China , the coronavirus * first appeared in the population in an epidemic manner. No new infection with the virus is said to have been registered for the first time since January . The news was announced on the second day of the Chinese People's Congress. Prime Minister Li Keqiang had previously explained the "important strategic achievements in our response to Covid-19 ", but the country will face "enormous challenges" in the future.

For the first time, not a single new corona infection in all of China with a population of 1.4 billion https://t.co/OuC52PM1Yt pic.twitter.com/kMA6BzeHn8

The authoritarian state gives the number of deaths as a result of the coronavirus infection at 4636. The figure is well below the death toll of many countries with a fraction of the population of China. Around 1.4 billion people live in the People's Republic, which is why the skepticism towards the information provided by the Chinese authorities is increasing. That is why the USA, in particular, formulated allegations towards Beijing that the extent of the pandemic was initially covered up and distorted. So the spread of the disease should have been possible. The virus was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan. 

Corona virus worldwide: Russia and Brazil, each with well over 300,000 infections

Update of May 23, 6:10 p.m .:  Behind the United States, which has been severely affected by the corona crisis, two large countries are experiencing a parallel increase in new infections with the virus. In Russia , the number of cases rose by more than 9,400 after fewer than 9,000 had been measured in the days before. Evidence shows that more than 335,882 people in Russia have contracted the virus . However, the death toll is low - 3,388 patients died with the virus.

Corona virus worldwide: Brazil has a four-digit daily death rate

The number of corona infections is similarly high in Brazil . So far, 330,890 people have been infected, but the number of deaths is significantly higher than in Russia. 21,048 people died as a result of the infection. From Friday to Saturday, more than a thousand patients died within 24 hours . 20,803 new infections were also registered. Brazil briefly ranked second in absolute infections for the first time behind the United States, which reported 1.6 million corona infections.

In Brazil, unlike in many European countries, it is not only older people who die after an infection. For lack of money, many young people in Brazil are forced to work despite the risk of infection , and many are infected. The population of Brazil is on average quite young, which is why the death toll is below 60 . That was the opinion of Mauro Sanchez , epidemiologist at the University of Brasilia. In his view, "the pervert" is "that many people are exposed to the virus because they have no other choice."

In addition to the terrible scale of the corona pandemic , Brazil also has to deal with corruption at the highest political level. A video reveals incredible things about head of state Jair Bolsonaro.

Corona virus worldwide: pandemic in Africa is "different" according to WHO

Update of May 23, 8:36 am: In Africa, for which a dramatic Covid 19 situation had been forecast at the beginning of the pandemic, the number of reported infections exceeded 100,000 for the first time. According to WHO informationWith 20,000 registered infections, most cases are reported in  South Africa  . 

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said in a statement on Friday that "the continental corona pandemic is taking a different course than anywhere else in the world." While Europe had already reported 4,500 deaths at a level of 100,000 infections, 3900 people have died in Africa so far. 

WHO experts attribute the positive reports partly to early restrictions on output and partly to the younger age structure of the population. Nevertheless, the health systems are  not well equipped for a possible stronger increase. 

Corona virus worldwide: Innovative tests and treatments from Africa are internationally overlooked

The British Guardian had already criticized the fact that it is overlooked internationally that innovative solutions for the corona pandemic have been found on the continent , which could also be groundbreaking for other countries. In Senegal, for example, an inexpensive rapid test is being developed and infected members from larger households are consistently isolated in hospitals . In Ghana, the death rate could also be kept comparatively low, among other things because tests are carried out in larger pools and individual people are only retested if the larger pool is positive. In addition, many countries rely on a herbal tea developed in Madagascar , the active ingredients of which were also examined by a German professor and classified as "very interesting".

Coronavirus - Rwanda: Robots are used in the treatment in the capital Kigali

© dpa / Cyril Ndegeya

In Rwanda's capital Kigali, meanwhile, tests are being carried out to see how robots can be used in the treatment of people seriously ill with Covid-19 .

Coronavirus worldwide: According to the WHO, South America has become the "epicenter of the disease"

Update of May 22, 10:25 p.m .:  The World Health Organization is concerned about the rapidly increasing number of coronavirus * infections worldwide. However, South America "has become the new epicenter of the disease," said WHO expert Michael Ryan in Geneva on Friday. According to Ryan, "there is great concern about these countries, but Brazil is clearly currently the most affected".

An international study is now providing new insights for global drug research: For the first time, complex relationships between difficult Covid-19 developments could be deciphered.

Corona virus worldwide: number of Covid-19 deaths exceeds sad threshold in Brazil

While neighboring countries like Colombia are carrying out a strict lockdown, Brazil has become one of the central hot spots of the pandemic *. The largest and most populous country on the continent has recorded 310,000 corona infections so far, making it the third highest in a global comparison. To date, 20,000 Covid-19 patients * have died from coronavirus infections. However, experts assume that the number of unreported cases is higher because the test capacities are inadequate.

Across the continent, over 617,000 infections with the novel virus have been identified and more than 34,000 people have  died. After Brazil, Peru is the second worst affected with 108,000 infections and around 3100 deaths. 

Corona virus worldwide: President Jair Bolsonaro and his avoidable mega-crisis

First registration:

Brasilia - What Brazil  President Jair Bolsonaro played down again and again as "little flu" is now developing more and more into a catastrophe. The current figures from Johns Hopkins University * speak volumes: Brazil is constantly developing towards a corona hotspot.

Corona virus worldwide: number of Covid-19 deaths exceeds sad threshold in Brazil

With 310,087 people infected with the corona virus, Brazil is only behind the United States (1,577,758 infected) and Russia (326,448 infected) worldwide. Johns Hopkins University informs about this.

The Brazilian Ministry of Health also announced that the number of Covid 19 deaths rose again rapidly and exceeded the sad threshold of 20,000 deaths. A total of 1188 deaths were reported within 24 hours, a new record in that period. 

Dozens of mass graves are used as a burial site in Brazil.

Brazil has more than 20,000 Covid-19 dead. 

© dpa / Lucas Silva

Coronavirus: Brazil recommends controversial malaria drug

Meanwhile, the Brazilian Ministry of Health has recommended the controversial malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of corona infected people. An updated guide for doctors published on Thursday said the drug could also be given to people with only mild corona symptoms *. 

Most recently, Health Minister Nelson Teich asked for his release after complaining to right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro over the use of the controversial drug.

Coronavirus: Dramatic side effects of the drug

Hydroxychloroquine was originally used  to treat malaria and certain autoimmune diseases. To what extent and whether the drug * is even suitable for the treatment of coronavirus patients has not yet been finally clarified. However, taking the medication can lead to side effects such as an increased risk of irregular heartbeat. 

Still, some people are expecting a lot from the drug to curb the coronavirus. Among them is, for example, US President Donald Trump, who touted hydroxychloroquine as a "gift from God" and claims to even take it as protection against infection with the coronavirus *.

Meanwhile, research is underway all over the world for a vaccine * against the coronavirus - and also for medication - now there seem to be clearer trends.

Despite the successful Corona fight in Germany so far, the virologist Christian Drosten expresses fear. Various media, including the BND, conclude that China withheld important information at the start of the corona pandemic.

* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network

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Rubric list picture: © dpa / Francisco Longa