Brazil on Friday claimed the unenviable position of having the second-highest coronavirus death toll worldwide behind the United States, where several states have posted record daily case totals, signalling the crisis is far from over.
Brazil’s health ministry recorded 909 deaths in the past 24 hours, putting the total at 41,828 — meaning the country of 212mn people has now surpassed Britain’s death toll.
Experts warn the actual number of cases in Latin America’s biggest economy could be many times higher than the confirmed figure of 828,810.
“Some areas are at a critical stage” in Brazil, with intensive care unit occupancy levels of more than 90%, World Health Organisation emergencies director Mike Ryan told journalists in Geneva.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who threatened last week to quit the WHO over “ideological bias,” has dismissed the virus as a “little flu,” and berated state officials for imposing lockdowns.
Latin America is the latest epicentre in the world’s battle with the novel coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year.
The region has recorded more than 1.5mn infections and 76,000 deaths, with no signs the virus is slowing.


Chile health minister goes
In Santiago, Chile President Sebastian Pinera yesterday replaced Health Minister Jaime Manalich amid controversy over the country’s figures for deaths from the coronavirus outbreak.
Pinera said Manalich had spared “no effort” in carrying out his “difficult and noble duty” to protect Chileans` health.
He replaced him with Oscar Enrique Paris, an academic and medical doctor.
The sudden reshuffle comes as Chile faces its toughest month in the pandemic so far, with spiralling active cases and deaths rates.
The country now has the highest number of confirmed cases per million people in Latin America, reporting 167,355 cases yesterday and 3,101 deaths.
Manalich, a tough-talking kidney specialist who once ran one of Chile´s top hospitals, has won praise for an aggressive campaign to keep hospitals supplied with ventilators and protective equipment and leading detailed daily press conferences.
But there have been frequent reports of spats among health ministry officials, and Manalich has been criticised by opposition politicians, mayors, medical experts and social groups for refusing to release more detailed contagion data or apply lockdowns sooner and for successive changes in criteria for recording deaths and cases.
A Chilean investigative website, Ciper, yesterday reported that the health ministry had told the World Health Organisation that as many as 5,000 deaths in the country were linked to coronavirus.
The health ministry’s statistics department reported figures to the global body of people who had died after testing positive for coronavirus test but also deaths suspected to be linked to Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
The new minister, Enrique Paris, is a former head of the Chilean College of Doctors (Colmed) and a university deacon.
José Miguel Bernucci, Colmed’s national secretary, welcomed the appointment, saying he was looking forward to a more consensual approach and a “change in strategy to jointly confront the pandemic.” 


Mexico City to reopen
Meanwhile, Mexico’s health ministry reported a record 5,222 new confirmed infections along with 504 additional fatalities on Friday, bringing the total in the country to 139,196 cases and 16,448 deaths.
The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the official count.
The mayor of Mexico City said on Friday the Mexican capital will next week lift restrictions on car traffic and public transport, and allow 340,000 factory works to get back to work, even though new cases of coronavirus are still rising.
Mexico City and the adjacent urban sprawl are home to more than 21mn people, and the region accounts for more than 40% of some 139,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.
On Friday Mexico reported a record of more than 5,000 new cases.
“We think next week the city can begin a process of very orderly transition,” said Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, noting there had been a slight drop in hospital occupancy rates and that the city’s contagion alert level was close to coming down a notch.
Curbs on vehicle traffic and public transport are due to be eased tomorrow and factories will start opening on Tuesday under strict sanitary protections, the city government said.
On Thursday, small shops will have permission to reopen, while professional services and scientific workers linked to “industry” can go back as of Friday, it added.
If conditions are deemed suitable, street markets and the historic center of the city will reopen the week of June 22-28.
The Dominican Republic will extend its state of health emergency until the end of this month after the Chamber of Deputies approved the measure on Friday, local media reported.
The emergency, which has been in force since March 19, allows President Danilo Medina to take measures such as restricting mobility to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
More than 22,000 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus, which has killed 568 people in the Caribbean country.
The Senate had already approved the fifth extension of the emergency.
There were objections to it in the opposition-dominated Chamber of Deputies, but one of the critical parties changed its mind and allowed it to be approved.
The country of 11mn residents will hold general elections five days after the emergency is due to end.