The official corona numbers in the largest country in Latin America are increasing rapidly - and the actual numbers are likely to be much higher. Nevertheless, the measures are relaxed in many places. Scientists are concerned.
Brasília (dpa) - Brazil is now the country with the second most corona deaths worldwide. The Ministry of Health said that in the largest and most populous country in Latin America, another 909 patients died within a day related to the coronavirus.
The number of corona deaths in Brazil rose to 41,828 by Friday evening (local time). The country overtook Great Britain. 828,810 people in Brazil were infected with the virus.
According to Johns Hopkins University, only the United States has more deaths related to Sars-CoV-2. 114,600 people died there. In Britain, there were 41,566 deaths infected with Sars-CoV-2, according to Johns Hopkins University. The actual number in Brazil is likely to be much higher, also because the country tests very little. Scientific studies suggest that at least seven times as many people are infected than previously known. Brazil has 210 million inhabitants and is 24 times the size of Germany. The number of corona deaths in Brazil has recently risen so quickly that within two weeks the country jumped from fifth to second place in the most affected countries. Most recently, around 1,000 new casualties were registered each day. Nevertheless, measures are being relaxed in many places, shops and beaches are now open again. Long lines formed in front of shopping centers in São Paulo. Everyday life in Rio de Janeiro was almost reminiscent of the pre-pandemic era. Many people are employed as shoe cleaners, garbage collectors, flying traders and day laborers and often cannot afford to stay at home. President Jair Bolsonaro also created chaos and confusion about the effects of the coronavirus because he initially downplayed Covid-19 as "little flu". Many people did not take the pandemic very seriously - and flocked to the traditional market on the first day of the lockdown in Belém.
