Brazil has suffered a record 68,000 new cases of coronavirus, while South Africa experienced its largest daily increase in deaths as the crisis continues to escalate in two of the most affected countries in the world.
In Brazil, the 67,860 new cases announced last night break the previous record of 54,771 on June 19, exceeding the country’s total of $ 2.2 million.
The Brazilian outbreak is the second largest in the world, while South Africa is the fifth with 394,948 cases, of which 13,183 were discovered in the last 24 hours.
The death toll in South Africa increased by 572, more than in the previous four days combined, bringing the total to 5,940.
BRAZIL CASES: Brazil experienced a record daily increase of 67,860 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, totaling $ 2.2 million in the country.
DEATHS IN BRAZIL: Another 1,284 deaths in the country brought the total to 82,771, second only to the United States
SOUTH AFRICA CASES: The country has frequently seen over 10,000 new cases per day and now has the largest outbreak in Africa
DEATHS IN SOUTH AFRICA: Officials announced a massive increase of 572 new deaths last night, bringing the total to 5,940
Brazil’s total case load is now 2,227,514, while its death toll is 82,771 after another 1,284 deaths were recorded in 24 hours.
Both figures are second only to the United States, and experts say insufficient evidence means the actual numbers are likely much higher.
The World Health Organization expressed optimism last week that the outbreak in Brazil had finally reached a plateau, saying the country had an opportunity to “take control.”
But although the level of daily infections seemed to have stabilized until today’s increase, it is still high with an average of more than 30,000 cases per day.
President Jair Bolsonaro has faced severe criticism for minimizing the virus and attacking social distancing measures adopted by state and local authorities.
Bolsonaro has been quarantined at the presidential palace since July 7 after contracting the virus.
His office announced yesterday that he had tested positive again, saying he would continue his quarantine and suspend his upcoming travel plans.
Bolsonaro, 65, praised unproven hydroxychloroquine against malaria as a remedy for Covid-19, following in Donald Trump’s footsteps.
Margareth Dalcomo, an expert at Brazil’s leading public health institute, Fiocruz, said Bolsonaro’s promotion of the drug was “deplorable.”
“This politicization of the drug by the presidents of the United States and Brazil for shady reasons is unwarranted and misleads people,” he said.
Bolsonaro has been his third minister of health since the pandemic came to Brazil five months ago, after having quarreled with two doctors who previously held the position for their recommendations on containing the virus.
The current acting minister is Eduardo Pazuello, a military general with no prior medical experience.
BRAZIL: Members of a military fire brigade in white protective suits pushed an isolation stretcher yesterday towards a helicopter in Belo Horizonte
SOUTH AFRICA: Funeral home with personal protective equipment watches a bulldozer filling a grave during the funeral of a coronavirus victim in Johannesburg yesterday
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro made a heartfelt gesture to supporters in front of the Alvorada presidential palace in Brasilia last night as it remains positive for Covid-19
Meanwhile, South Africa is the most affected country on the continent and is now among the top five in the world in terms of confirmed cases.
The country’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases announced 13,183 new cases last night after conducting nearly 50,000 tests in the past 24 hours.
The institute offered its “deepest condolences” after announcing another 572 deaths during the same period.
Almost half of the total number of deaths have been reported in the Western Cape province, which includes Cape Town.
Meanwhile, most of the positive cases are in Gauteng, South Africa’s financial center and epicenter of the outbreak.
However, the death rate has remained low, at around 1.5 percent on Wednesday.
According to official figures, almost 60 percent of the country’s Covid-19 patients have recovered from the virus.
To add to the crisis, two South African cabinet ministers were hospitalized this week with coronavirus, the government announced Tuesday.
Labor Minister Thulas Nxesi, 61, and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, 65, were admitted to the hospital separately on Monday.
Cabinet spokeswoman Phumla Williams said in a statement that they were hospitalized on the recommendation of their doctors for “better medical care” and monitoring.
Defense Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula tested positive previously but has since recovered, the government announced on Friday.
In addition to the United States and Brazil, India and Russia are also ahead of South Africa in the global table of virus cases.
Last week, India became the third country in the world to register one million confirmed cases, while Russia has seen almost 800,000 infections.
.
