Brazil's Manaus city declares state of emergency amid rise in COVID-19 cases

The Brazilian city Manaus has declared a state of emergency for a period of 180 days due to an increase in new coronavirus cases. Manaus was one of the first Brazilian cities to be affected by the pandemic during early 2020. With an increase in the cases, the hospitals in the city have reached their capacity and also the cemetery was forced to bury people in mass graves.

According to the reports by PTI, Mayor David Almeida said, “We are adopting all the necessary measures to contribute decisively to the fight against COVID-19, especially at this moment in which the city is registering an increase in cases and, unfortunately, deaths”. The decree allows the municipal government to temporarily contract personnel, services and material without any public tenders. Also, it suspends authorization for events and revokes those already granted. This development came when people on social media complained about overcrowding in hospitals. The city of Manaus has recorded a total of 3,400 fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic. 

Read: Brazil President Bolsonaro Says 'COVID-19 Vaccine Can Turn People Into Crocodiles'

Status of vaccine in Brazil 

As of now, Brazil has not approved any vaccine. Latin America’s largest nation appears to be at least three or four weeks away from launching a formal immunization campaign against COVID-19 virus. Margareth Dalcolmo, a professor in respiratory medicine at the state-funded Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, talking about President Jair Bolsonaro and his remarks on the vaccine said, “He has said he doesnt plan to get a shot himself and joked at one point that side effects might turn people into crocodiles or bearded ladies”. He further added that these talks leave Brazil’s image abroad “very damaged”. 

Read: Brazil President Bolsonaro Gets High Level Of Approval Amid COVID-19 Devastation: Survey

Earlier, Bolsonaro said that the Chinese vaccine does not come from a place that he could trust. Another contender for early release nationwide is the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. It could be available by February once the regulators approve it, says Brazil's state laboratory Fiocruz. It also said it expects to have 100 million of domestically produced COVID-19 doses by the end of July.

Read: Brazil President Bolsonaro Gets High Level Of Approval Amid COVID-19 Devastation: Survey

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