With 1,179 deaths within 24 hours, Brazil recorded its highest single day fatalities due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
The new numbers have pushed the nationwide death toll to over 17,971. Previously, the largest single-day toll was recorded on May 12, when 881 people died due to the lethal respiratory infection.
Brazil, which is only behind the US and Russia, reported 17,408 cases on May 18. Currently, there are over 1,47,108 active cases in the country.
In recent months, two doctors have resigned as health ministers owing to the fact that the country’s President, Jair Bolsonaro, ‘constantly defies public health experts to advise.’
Globally, nearly five million persons have been infected with COVID-19 but about two million have recovered.
United States President, Donald Trump has hinted a possible travel ban on Brazil.
Speaking to reporters on May 18, he said that he didn’t want people to come and infect Americans adding that Brazil was having undoubtedly.“some troubled”.
However, he said that he didn’t want Brazilians to be sick either and that he was helping the Latin American nation with ventilators.
