Brazil has reported a record number of daily coronavirus deaths, surpassing Italy to become third in the world in number of fatalities from the disease.
The country reported 1,473 deaths on Thursday, bringing the death toll to 34,021. As of now Italy’s death toll due to the virus is 33,689.
The number of confirmed cases in Brazil is 619,000, trailing only behind the US. The number of confirmed cases in the US is 19,00,000.
The nation of 210 million people now accounts for about 40 per cent of the world’s daily virus deaths.
Mexico, in the meantime reported 816 deaths on Thursday, the second consecutive daily record there, while total deaths surpassed 12,000.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been downplaying the pandemic since the beginning; he has criticised social distancing measures and urged regional governments to lift restrictions for the sake of the economy. Bolsonaro on Thursday said that death is fated for everyone.
Bolsonaro, in a bid to defend himself, has also said that Sweden’s approach to handling the pandemic has been similar to his model.
Close to three-quarters of Brazilian cities have now reported positive cases, and the Health Ministry said last week that the curve was still growing. On Thursday the governor of Mato Grosso became the seventh Brazilian governor to test positive for the virus.
