Brazil is experiencing the worst moment of its Covid-19 epidemic. With more than 310,000 deaths and up to 3,600 daily deaths, the health situation is degraded by the large-scale dissemination of an Amazonian variant, which is more contagious and potentially more lethal. At 30 March, 16.2 million Brazilians, or barely 7.7% of the population, had received a first dose of the vaccine. The containment measures put in place by the local authorities are failing to slow the progression of the epidemic. Three states no longer have beds available in intensive care. Fourteen have an occupancy rate greater than 90%.
Antivaccine assumed, Jair Bolsonaro has yet appointed a new Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, with more reasoned views. Under pressure, the Brazilian president swears he wants to make 2021 “The year of vaccination”, but still strongly opposes local containment measures.
In the region, the circulation of the Brazilian variant is at the center of an epidemic outbreak, while, almost everywhere, vaccination is progressing slowly. The border areas of Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia are particularly affected. “The serious situation in Brazil also affects neighboring countries”, worried, on March 23, Carissa Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization. The Brazilian variant extends in these countries, well beyond the border: in Lima, it is at the origin of 40% of the contaminations, according to the ministry of health. Peru has an average of 9,500 new cases of Covid-19 per day, more than at the peak of the first two waves.
Border closures
Faced with the threat, several countries are trying to protect themselves from their cumbersome neighbor. Argentina – which is also experiencing a resurgence of the epidemic, with the presence of the Brazilian variant -, Colombia and Peru have suspended flights from Brazil. Argentina has also closed its land borders with that country. Colombia, which had closed all of its land and river borders in March 2020, has also extended this measure until 1er June.
In Venezuela, which recorded 1,288 new infections on Monday March 29 – a record of daily cases – President Nicolas Maduro denounced the “Brazil, the biggest threat in the world, which affects all neighbors” and “The totally negationist and irresponsible policies of Bolsonaro”. “The number of cases was going down, when the Brazilian variant arrived”, he noted, announcing strict containment for Holy Week and the distribution in all health centers of Carvativir, a drug made in Venezuela and presented as “Miraculous”, but whose effectiveness has not yet been demonstrated. Facebook has also blocked the account of the head of state and removed a video in which he praised this remedy.
You have 43.83% of this article to read. The rest is for subscribers only.
