Brazil records world’s highest daily death toll for first time as country is completely overwhelmed by coronavirus
BRAZIL has recorded the world’s highest daily coronavirus death toll for the first time, overtaking the United States.
The South American country registered 807 daily deaths on Monday while 620 died in the US over the same 24-hour period.
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Haunting photos from Sao Paulo's Cemitério de Vila Formosa, the largest cemetery in Latin America, show rows of the graves lying empty as the country's death toll nears 24,000.
The cemetery has reported an annual 50 per cent increase in the number of burials as the country is completely overwhelmed by Covid-19.
Brazil's outbreak is now second globally only to the US, with more than 377,000 confirmed cases.
And the total death toll could climb five-fold to 125,000 by early August, a study has warned.
DEATH TOLL COULD HIT 125,000
The forecast from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) called for Brazil to enforce a strict lockdown.
Dr. Christopher Murray wrote: "Brazil must follow the lead of Wuhan, China, as well as Italy, Spain, and New York by enforcing mandates and measures to gain control of a fast-moving epidemic and reduce transmission of the coronavirus."
The country has faced shortages of medics, coffins, and graves, while the government is coming under increasing pressure over its handling of the crisis.
President Jair Bolsonaro has faced criticism for referring to the virus as a "little flu" and attending rallies calling on state governors to end lockdown measures.
A poll this month by Datafolha found 45 per cent of people thought his handling was bad or terrible, while only 27 per cent thought it was good or excellent.
Speaking to this week, Arthur Virgilio Neto, mayor of the city of Manaus, now the epicentre of the country's outbreak, said the president should consider his position.
Mr Neto said: "He has complicity with those deaths from corona[virus] in Brazil.
"I think he is co-responsible.
"Mr President Bolsonaro, please shut up and stay home. Resign, resign."
PRESIDENT BRANDED 'KILLER'
Pictures from Manaus, which is the largest city in the Amazon basin, showed critically ill patients on ventilators and health officials transferring coffins to a local morgue.
During an appearance on the streets of Brasilia over the weekend, Bolsonaro was branded a "killer" and "trash" by angry residents who leaned from their windows banging pots and pans.
He has also begun advocating the use of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug touted by President Trump as a possible treatment for coronavirus.
Claims about the supposed efficacy of the drug have circulated since the beginning of the pandemic, but authorities such as the US government's Food and Drugs Administration have warned there is no evidence that it is safe or effective.
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Earlier this month, Nelson Teich became the second trained doctor in a month to leave the post of health minister over disagreements about the handling of the virus.
Bolsonaro is also facing calls for his impeachment over alleged attempts to hamper federal police investigations into the activities of his allies.
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