Brazil exceeds 57,000 deaths and 1.3 million cases of COVID-19

The figures confirm Brazil as the second country with the most victims and contagions of coronavirus in the world after the United States, as one of the new global epicenters of the pandemic and as the one with the highest average number of victims in recent days.

On Friday, the ministry had registered 990 new deaths and 46,860 new cases, on Thursday there were 1,141 deaths and 54,971 infections, on Wednesday 1,185 deaths and 53,830 confirmations and on Tuesday 1,374 deaths and 52,645 cases.

According to the Ministry of Health, of the people who have contracted the disease so far, 715,905 recovered and were discharged, equivalent to 54.5% of the total, and another 540,692 remain under medical care (41.2%) .

In addition, another 3,799 suspicious deaths are under investigation.

These results indicate that the mortality rate from the disease in Brazil is 4.3% of those infected, with 27.2 deaths for every 100,000 inhabitants, and that the incidence rate is 625.1 cases for every 100,000. persons.

According to the bulletin, Sao Paulo, the most populous state in the country, with 46 million of Brazil's 210 million inhabitants, continues to be the most affected by the pandemic, with 14,263 deaths and 265,581 cases.

Next, Rio de Janeiro is located, the third most populous state in Brazil, with 9,789 victims and 108,803 infections; and Ceará, with 5,981 deaths and 106,628 cases.

PANDEMIC REACHES 90% OF BRAZILIAN MUNICIPALITIES

Since the first case was reported on February 26, the pathogen has spread throughout almost the entire national territory and already affects almost 90% of the 5,570 Brazilian municipalities, according to data from the regional health secretariats.

Despite the fact that the pandemic continues to advance and since the country has not yet reached the peak of its contagion curve, most of the regional and municipal governments that have imposed social distancing measures to curb the disease have already begun gradual de-escalation processes.

The Sao Paulo Governorate began a gradual easing of social distancing measures on June 1, but before the first month of de-escalation was completed, five inland regions registered a sudden increase in coronavirus cases and deaths, for which they had to stop the opening of activities.

However, in Sao Paulo, the opening of bars, restaurants and beauty salons was authorized as of July 6.

The Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, for its part, anticipated for this Saturday the opening of street shops, hairdressers and manicure shops, although at restricted hours and with established protocols.

The de-escalation is encouraged by the Brazilian president himself, the far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, one of the most skeptical rulers about the severity of the pandemic and who defends the immediate normalization of all activities.

BRAZIL TO PRODUCE OXFORD VACCINE

Amid the advance of the disease, the Ministry of Health announced this Saturday that it has reached an agreement with the University of Oxford and with the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca that will allow it to have 100 million doses of the vaccine that the two entities have been experiencing.

The agreement also provides for the transfer of technology so that Brazil can produce the vaccine in the country and with full autonomy.

The agreement commits Brazil to a disbursement of $ 288 million for the 100 million doses and the technology transfer of a vaccine that, although promising, is still in its third phase of clinical trials (with humans).

In a first phase of the agreement, Brazil will pay $ 127 million for 30.4 million doses of the vaccine that it will receive in two batches, one in December 2020 and the other until January 15, 2021.

The country will initially import all the raw material produced by AstraZeneca laboratories abroad and will produce the vaccines at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), the largest medical research center in Latin America.

In a second stage, and in case the safety and efficacy of the vaccine is proven, Fiocruz will be able to start producing the active ingredient in the country, making it totally autonomous in the manufacture of the medicine.

In the second phase, the ministry will pay $ 161 million for the rights to produce 70 million doses of a vaccine that will have a production cost of $ 2.30 per unit.