The World Health Organisation”s emergencies chief is expressing concern about Brazil”s ability to manage surging coronavirus case numbers, but said the health system so far is coping.
Dr Michael Ryan said Friday that some of Brazil”s 27 administrative areas “have quite a bit of pressure on the intensive care system” and there are ”clear hot spots in heavily populated areas.”
The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University says Brazil has tallied more than 802,000 confirmed virus cases as of Friday, the second-largest number in the world after the United States, and over 40,000 COVID-19 deaths.
“The data we have at the moment supports a system under pressure, but a system still coping with the number of severe cases,” Ryan said.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has rejected ordering quarantines, and many Brazilians have criticized him for opposing city and state measures such as lockdowns, social distancing and other steps meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
