Brazil has chalked up a record 34,918 cases of Covid-19 to become the world’s hot spot for the deadly Sars-CoV-2 virus.
Figures released by the ministry of health on Tuesday also said deaths had passed 45,000, This figure is now second only to the USA, according to John Hopkins University.
“Since the beginning of the year, there are 45,241 (fatalities) confirmations so far. In the last 24 hours, 1,282 cases of deaths were registered in the official systems of the Government of Brazil,” said a press statement issued by the ministry of health.
Another 4,047 deaths are still under investigation.
Brazil’s controversial president Jair Bolsonaro has joined protesters demanding governors open up the economy.
When a reporter asked him earlier in the pandemic about how he feels about 5,000 deaths, the right-wing Bolsonaro responded: “So what?”
Brazil’s confirmed cases are 923,188, also second only to the USA. President Donald Trump and Bolsonaro are allies and both have downplayed the lethal virus.
“On Tuesday (16), Brazil recorded a total of 441,729 people cured of the coronavirus across the country, a number that represents 47.8% of the total confirmed cases today 923,189.”
“Currently, 436,219 people are undergoing medical care throughout Brazil. In the last 24 hours, Brazil registered 34,918 new cases of coronavirus..”