Coronavirus: WHO declares South America ‘new epicentre’ of
COVID-19 pandemic
The World Health Organisation has warned of a “new epicentre”
for the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing the virus is not slowing
down.
news.com.au
MAY 25, 2020 7:27PM
"An exclusive look inside an intensive care unit at a hospital in Rio de Janeiro, that has been overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases.
South America has become the “new epicentre” of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organisation has warned.
Brazil is the hardest-hit country in the region, while cases are rising in some African countries that so far have a relatively low death toll.
“In a sense South America has become a new epicentre for the disease,” Dr Mike Ryan, WHO’s top emergencies expert, told a news conference over the weekend.
Dr Ryan said Brazil is now “clearly the most affected”, noting the country has approved broad use of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine – a drug which has not been proven to effectively treat COVID-19.
The South American continent is extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.
It has a population of over 400 million, and healthcare services are already reaching full capacity.
As South American countries attempt to balance their economies with handling the virus outbreak, a recent crash in the oil market has significantly impacted South American, oil-industry dependent countries.
But no country has been hit harder than Brazil, where more than 20,000 people have now died due to COVID-19, with the country's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro still dismissing the risks of the virus and calling for restrictions to be eased.
US President Donald Trump is restricting travel to Brazil as a result, with the White House touching on the direness of the situation there.
“As of May 23, 2020, Brazil had 310,087 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which is the third highest number of confirmed cases in the world,” the White House said in a statement today. “Today’s action will help ensure foreign nationals who have been in Brazil do not become a source of additional infections in our country.”
WHY WAS BRAZIL HIT SO HARD?"
more at link:
https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/global/coronavirus-who-declares-south-america-new-epicentre-of-covid19-pandemic