COVID-19: Brazil confirms first case among Yanomami people in remote Amazon

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to tighten its grip around the world, Brazil confirmed the seventh case of COVID-19 infection among its indigenous population on April 8. Brazilian Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta informed about the first coronavirus infection among the Yanomami people, an Amazon indigenous group and called it “very worrying” as the ethnic group is widely known for its remoteness and thus are highly vulnerable to a new disease. Brazilian Health Minister said the government will now have to be “triply cautious” especially with the people in the indigenous communities of the country and lay more attention to the ones who have less contact with the outside world.

According to international media reports, the new patient confirmed in the Yanomami group is a 15-year-old boy and is now being treated in an intensive care unit in Boa Vista. Now, the total count of coronavirus cases among the indigenous communities has gone up to seven according to a Brazilian newspaper. The first person to have contracted the COVID-19 was a 20-year-old female from the Kokama ethnic group, a week ago. Brazil is known to be home for at least 800,000 indigenous people distributed in over 300 ethnic groups including Yanomami, who are known to paint their faces and have piercings. 

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Hospital for indigenous people

Due to the failure of purchasing ventilators from China, Brazil has now turned to its local industries to manufacture the respiratory equipment, international media reported citing Brazilian Health minister Henrique Mandetta. In his address, the minister also announced that the government was aiming to build a hospital for the indigenous population. Brazil, where the outbreak first began in February has till now reported 16,188 cases of infection and 820 deaths.

Meanwhile, the national death toll of coronavirus infection has reached 820 and confirmed infections reach over 16,100 as of April 9. After originating from China’s “wet markets”, the coronavirus has now claimed over 88,516 lives worldwide as of April 9. According to the tally by international news agency, the pandemic has now spread to 209 countries and has infected at least 1,518,970 people. Out of the total infections, 330,697 have been recovered but the easily spread virus is continuing to disrupt many lives. Major cities have been put under lockdown in almost all countries and the economy is struggling. 

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(With agency inputs)