BRAZIL OVERTAKES SPAIN

Brazil has overtaken Spain for the number of confirmed deaths from COVID-19 to become the country with the fifth highest toll, according to the US Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. With 27,878 deaths as of Saturday midday (CEST), it sits behind the United States (102,836), the United Kingdom (38,243), Italy (33,229) and France (28,717). Scientists believe the real figures in Brazil are far worse.

Brazil reported more than a thousand deaths in a 24-hour period on Friday (1,124), as well as a new record number of daily infections (26,928), bringing the total to 465,166 since the start of the outbreak.

President Jair Bolsonaro has defied the global consensus on lockdowns, pitting him against state governors and arguing that more people will die from economic collapse if restrictions are too harsh.

The World Health Organization said on May 22 that South America had become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. #COVID19