Brazil has surpassed 50,000 death count

In Brazil, more than 50,000 people have died from the effects of the corona virus. The country is the second in the world to reach the sad milestone. The millionth infection was detected last week. In the meantime, thousands of Brazilians take to the streets to demonstrate for and against President Bolsonaro’s policies.

According to the authorities, the death toll in Brazil rose by 641 yesterday, bringing the total number of people who died from the coronavirus to 50,617. In the United States alone, with more than 120,000 deaths, more people have died.

More than a million infections

The number of infections in Brazil already passed one million last week, more than 17,000 new corona patients were diagnosed yesterday. Experts say – for quite some time – that the actual number of infections is many times higher. There is not enough testing in Brazil.

Brazilian President Bolsonaro’s policies have been widely criticized. Since the outbreak began, he speaks of “the flu,” saying that a lockdown is unnecessary, and expects the economic damage to be many times worse than the virus itself.

Despite that policy, several Brazilian states decided to intervene. They independently established lockdowns and closed businesses and schools. Measures are now gradually easing – but the daily number of new infections in Brazil remains high.

It is therefore still feared in various parts of the country that healthcare cannot cope with the enormous influx of corona patients. It is also feared that the virus can hit native tribes, for example in the Amazon region, very hard.

In the meantime, President Bolsonaro is under heavy political pressure. His policy already caused two health ministers to resign. Bolsonaro’s decision to stop publishing corona statistics was overturned by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is also investigating whether Bolsonaro had the national police chief fired to protect his own family. A criminal investigation is underway into two of his sons suspected of corruption and the spread of misinformation.

Last weekend, thousands of protesters took to the streets in various Brazilian cities to protest the president’s corona policy. They want a resignation procedure against Bolsonaro to be started.

At the same time, many supporters of the President were on their feet. Instead, they believe that the Supreme Court should not interfere in the President’s activities.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the epicenter of the epidemic is currently on the American continent.

Worldwide record

More than 183,020 new corona infections were diagnosed worldwide yesterday. A sad milestone, because according to WHO it is the largest number of infections in one day to date. 116,000 of those infections were detected in South America and the United States.