The nightmare scenario some feared would come to pass in Syria or India appears to be unfolding in Brazil, which is becoming the new epicentre
A resident of the Cidade de Deus community receives food donations amidst the coronavirus pandemic on May 24 2020 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: GETTY IMAGES/BUDA MENDESo Paulo — In March, when Covid-19 was stamping out lives across the world, Latin America looked like it might escape relatively unharmed. Its governments chose vastly different approaches to confronting the pandemic, from severe lockdown in El Salvador and Peru to relative laxness in Brazil and Mexico.
Latin American countries reported more than 1,900 deaths on Wednesday, a record, accounting for 37% worldwide. Brazil, Peru, Chile and Mexico have each reported more than 10,000 new cases in the past five days, making them four of the top seven countries globally in that period. Chile, a country of 18-million, has tested more people than Mexico, which has 127-million inhabitants. Many who have died at home untested aren’t registered as related to Covid-19. But one way to measure the virus’s impact is to compare mortality rates with previous years. A report in Mexico City this week found four times more deaths in 2020 than over the past four years.
Latin America has a sophisticated elite whose members appear to have been the first infecters as they returned from skiing in Colorado and Carnival celebrations in Italy. But it also has an enormous underclass who often live in primitive conditions far from decent hospitals. It is those segments of the populations, some of whom live in close quarters without clean water, that are now burning with infection.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
US virus toll crosses 100,000 as pandemic rages in Latin AmericaThe US coronavirus death toll passed 100,000 as the pandemic tightened its grip on South America, which is outpacing Europe and the United States in daily infections.
Read more »
EU unveils huge aid plan as virus hammers Latin AmericaThe massive European plan follows other unprecedented emergency measures introduced around the world to rescue economies shattered by the disease, which has claimed more than 350,000 lives as infections top 5.6 million.
Read more »
Biggest single-day increase as SA records 1,673 new Covid-19 casesIn what is the biggest single-day increase to date, 1,673 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in South Africa in the last 24 hours.
Read more »
Biggest single-day increase as SA records 1,673 new Covid-19 casesIn what is the biggest single-day increase to date, 1,673 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in South Africa in the last 24 hours.
Read more »
COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | 'Congratulations': Thuli Madonsela to pastors as churches set to reopenSouth Africa has 24,264 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 524 deaths.
Read more »
Surge in COVID-19 infections as death toll rises to 552Surge in COVID-19 infections as death toll rises to 552 eNCA
Read more »