Latin American countries are still seeing new COVID-19 cases amid other Asian countries and western nations experiencing a decline in new infections. Brazil remains the hardest-hit country in the region as it nears the 500,00-mark.
Brazil Sees Record-High Infections in 24 Hours
The Brazilian health ministry on Saturday reported 33,274 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the national total to 498,440. Health experts believe the numbers are still due to increase in the coming weeks.
Aside from the record-high increase in new confirmed cases, Brazil also saw 956 new deaths from the fast-spreading disease on Saturday. The national fatality toll has reached 28,834. The said figure has surpassed France in the number of deaths, making Brazil the fourth hardest-hit country in the world in deaths.
Bolsonaro Retains Defiance amid Political Storm
Amid increasing cases in the country, President Jair Bolsonaro showed defiance following the raiding of some properties linked to a couple of the Brazilian leader's supporters.
Bolsonaro stood outside his house before the weekend, stating that he and his supporters "have reached the limit." He went on to warn that the raid will not happen again. He said the raid and investigations were preventing his administration from working.
The raid was ordered by the Supreme Court as part of the investigation around disinformation in an online network. The said inquest is just one of the several other probes directed on the president and his supporters.
There is also a strong inflow of criticism not just from local politicians and agencies but also global health experts and leaders who believe Bolsonaro is not handling the coronavirus situation in his country well.
5-Month-Old Baby Raises Hopes in Brazil
Meanwhile, the increasing tension in Brazil's politics and health crisis was somehow silenced for a moment after news emerged about 5-month-old Dom, who survived COVID-19 at the Pro-Cardiaco hospital in Rio de Janeiro.
Due to his infancy, Dom was placed in an induced coma for 32 days after he tested COVID-19 positive. He went on to spend 54 days at the hospital and was connected to a ventilator.
Dom has recovered and will celebrate six months of birth on June 14. The child is considered a "miracle" baby after surviving the grueling weeks of being in a coma and battling the novel coronavirus.
The Early Days of COVID-19 in Brazil
When the coronavirus was sweeping China, the origin country, Brazil's Bolsonaro appeared to be unaffected by how the virus was spreading fast among Asian countries.
On March 5, the health ministry announced eight confirmed COVID-19 cases in a matter of 10 days and several of the cases were no longer imported infections. Since then cases have climbed, with Bolsonaro still publicly denouncing lockdowns implemented by local governments.
The first fatality was announced on March 17 and some local governments continued on to the path of lockdowns and strict social distancing measures. However, Bolsonaro said on March 24 that "jobs should be maintained."
By mid-April, there were already 5,000 deaths in Brazil but Bolsonaro went on to encourage states to "gradually open up" despite hiking cases and devastating deaths.
Cases and deaths went on to accelerate at the start of this month and last week, the death toll passed 25,000. It remains to be seen how the political tensions and criticism against Bolsonaro will ensue amid the overwhelming COVID-19 crisis in the world's second hardest-hit country.
