Brazil reaches 150,000 deaths from COVID-19 milestone

Brazil’s count of COVID-19 deaths surpassed 150,000 on Saturday night, despite signs pandemic is slowly retreating in Latin America's largest nation.

Brazilian Health Ministry reported that death toll w stands at 150,198. figure is world’s second highest behind United States, according to tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University.

milestone has rekindled pain of Naiane Moura, a sales consultant, who lost her far Elivaldo to COVID-19 in April. 58-year-old postman had prior illness and battled COVID-19 for seven days in a public hospital in Manaus, Brazil’s largest city in Amazon.

“When I see 150,000, I see my far alongside many or faceless bodies,” Moura said by phone. “I didn’t imagine that we would reach that number. I don’t believe that we will ever be able to totally overcome this.”

Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro played down severity of virus while deaths mounted rapidly in Brazil. 65-year-old president flouted social distancing at lively demonstrations and encourd crowds during outings from presidential residence.

Bolsonaro rejected goverrs’ and mayors’ lockdowns and or tough measures to contain virus’ spread, even after he contracted it himself in July, and insisted that shutting down Brazil’s ecomy would pitch nation into chaos.

“Life goes on. Brazil needs to produce,” he said on July 7 in Brasilia when he anunced he was infected.

Moura’s hometown of Manaus became a horror show early on in pandemic. Between April and May, health system collapsed in city as patients were turned away from full hospitals and overwhelmed cemeteries were forced to dig mass graves. capital of Amazonas state has had 122 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, far above national aver of 71 per 100,000. nation of 210 million people surpassed 5 million confirmed infections on Wednesday, according to official data.

re have been recent signs of relief in Brazil. Over last month and a half, viral curve has dropped. aver number of deaths sat at 598 over last 7 days, lowest level since beginning of May.

mayors of large cities such as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro continue to reopen activities like cinemas and schools, even as public health experts warn of possible new outbreaks.

Manaus, where restrictions were relaxed, registered an increase in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks that led to speculation of a possible second wave. Local authorities reinstituted restrictions on commerce and activity, and shut down riverside beach.

Moura said she holds federal authorities responsible for massive death toll.

“A lot of lives could have been saved if our leaders had taken rigorous measures in beginning,” she said.

Bolsonaro has faced fierce criticism of his handling of health crisis, and changed health ministers twice in midst of pandemic. Yet his popularity is at its highest since he took office in January 2019, which political analysts attribute to his distribution of emergency cash to help tens of millions of poorer Brazilians withstand ecomic downturn. Some 40% of Brazilians surveyed by pollster Ibope rate ir government as good or excellent, according to a poll published Sept. 24 that has a margin for error of 2 percent points. “Bolsonaro helped population to open ir eyes. Health has to go hand in hand with ecomy, ”said Paulo Gomes, 54, a taxi driver who supports Bolsonaro.

In Sao Paulo, Ricardo Vieira, a doctor working in one of city’s largest working-class neighborhoods kwn as favelas, said government’s COVID-19 cash transfer program wasn’t eugh to shield poor, who often have scarce access to healthcare.

To remedy lack of support in Paraisopolis favela, an NGO called G10 hired three private ambulances and eight health professionals, among m Dr. Vieira, who has been re since March.

“We are dealing with lives, and when we came to a poor community we saw that government cant reach se people." Vieira told Associated Press.

Despite difficulties and lack of resources, Vieira continues to fight to contain pandemic’s devastation.

“I do what I can, I do my best,” Vieira said, as tears welled up n rolled down his cheek. “And I don’t kw what else I could do.”