Brazil surpasses 1,000 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours
Brazil registered 1,179 coronavirus deaths during the past 24 hours, medical ministry said Tuesday, as the pandemic exacted its worst daily toll yet in the hardest-hit Latin American country.
The entire death toll in Brazil now stands at 17,971, the ministry said. This is the 1st time the daily toll exceeded 1,000.
New infections during the past 24 hours totaled 17,408, bringing the total to 271,628.
If the upward trend is confirmed in coming days, Brazil will see an acceleration of its chapter of the pandemic. Experts say the peak there is not expected until early June.
Public health specialists also say the federal government figures may grossly understate the death and infection tolls - perhaps by as much as 15 times - because Brazil carries out hardly any coronavirus testing.
On Monday Brazil jumped from sixth to third place in the world in number of known infections, behind only the united states and Russia.
Right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro is in open conflict with almost all of the country's 27 state governors as he plays down the virus and presses for the finish of lockdown measures to rescue Latin America's major economy, which is now forecast to be headed for deep recession.--AFP
