RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil, the world’s second coronavirus hotspot after the United States, has officially passed 50,000 coronavirus deaths as the country is already grappling with more than one million cases.
Brazil now has a total of 1,085,038 confirmed cases and 50,617 deaths, up from 49,976, the Health Ministry said. The true numbers are a lot higher due lack of widespread testing. The country has typically recorded more than 1,000 deaths a day but usually registers fewer on weekends.
Brazil confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus on February 26 and passed one million cases on Friday. The rapid spread of the virus has also led to political instability and and eroded support for right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro and has raised fears of economic collapse.
Bolsonaro has been widely criticised for his handling of the crisis. The country still has no permanent health minister after losing two since April following clashes with the president
Bolsonaro has shunned social distancing, calling it a job-killing measure more dangerous than the virus itself. He has also promoted two anti-malarial drugs as remedies, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, despite little evidence they are effective.
On Sunday, Bolsonaro said the military serves the will of the people and its mission is to defend democracy. His comments came on the same day his supporters and detractors gathered in cities across the country in a stark symbol of the polarisation in the country.
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