SAO PAULO – Brazil marked a grim milestone yesterday, as April became the deadliest month yet in the country’s Covid-19 crisis, said authorities.
The South American giant has recorded 67,977 deaths so far this month, making it the deadliest yet before it ends, and topping March’s 66,573 fatalities, reported the Health Ministry.
Just in the past 24 hours, Brazil recorded 3,076 deaths, with a seven-day average of 2,545 per day.
Meanwhile, 71,137 new infections were registered yesterday, with a daily average of more than 60,000 fresh cases in the last two weeks.
Latin America’s most populous nation has logged over 380,000 deaths among its 212 million people.
Only the United States has been worse affected in absolute terms, but Brazil’s death rate per 100,000 inhabitants is the highest in both the Americas and southern hemisphere.
Despite the data, experts said the curve of infections and deaths is actually stabilising in Brazil.
Public health institute Fiocruz reported on Friday that “in the last two weeks, there has been a stabilisation of cases and deaths from Covid-19, which characterises a new level of transmission”.
The death rate should hover around 3,000 per day in the coming weeks, it said.
Brazil has fully vaccinated only 5.8% of its population.
The Health Ministry plans to complete immunising priority groups, comprising 77 million people, in September. – AFP, April 25, 2021
