Nelson Almeidi/AFP via Getty Images
Date of Publication: May 30, 2020
Source: CNN
Latin America has had roughly 920,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and nearly 50,000 deaths across the region’s 33 countries, but health experts are nearly unanimous in the view that things are likely to get worse. Faulty government response coupled with Latin America’s unique economic and public health situation led to the severity of the current outbreak. The Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador both quickly and consistently played down the threat of the virus in March. Bolsonaro called it a “little flu.” López Obrador held up two amulets at a press conference and, smiling, said they would protect him. López Obrador eventually urged people to stay home and authorized the shuttering of vast sections of the economy. But his critics say unclear messaging has contributed to a Mexican public clearly skeptical of the virus’ mortal threat. An influential model from the University of Washington predicts Brazil could surpass 125,000 deaths by August. Strained public health systems also likely won’t have the ability to track and isolate new cases on a large scale once quarantine measures ease.
Read the full article here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/30/americas/latin-america-covid-19-epicenter-intl/index.html
Summary by: Joseph Chon
