Brazil becomes global epicenter of COVID-19

Brazil has now become the world’s epicenter for COVID-19 as the country recorded over 4,000 COVID-related deaths in 24 hours for the first time as a more contagious variant fuels a surge in cases.

The health system is on the brink of collapse in many cities as the hospitals are overcrowded, with people dying as they wait for treatment

The country’s total death toll is now almost 337,000, second only to the US.

But President Jair Bolsonaro continues to oppose any lockdown measures to curb the outbreak arguing that the damage to the economy would be worse than the effects of the virus itself.