Brazil approaches 600 thousand COVID deaths

Brazil is approaching a grim landmark, closing in on 600 thousand COVID-19 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

It's the world's second-highest coronavirus death toll after the United States.

Although overall infection rates and death counts are down, it's little consolation for the bereaved.

Memorial events in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are held daily to honour those who have died.

In São Paulo, a temporary memorial dedicated to the city's 38,000 COVID-19 victims was inaugurated on Wednesday.

The "Farewell Memorial" is for mourners who weren't able to attend funerals for their loved ones because of pandemic restrictions.

38,000 paper weather vanes were installed at Roosevelt Square in the city's downtown area, each representing one of the victims.

Danilo Cesar, one of the memorial organisers, says the idea of the vanes is to use them as "a symbol of hope, renovation, and fresh air" to preserve "the legacy of those countless people who left this plane but remain with us."

Meanwhile, in Rio de Janeiro, family and friends of those who have died in the pandemic meet to grieve together.

Marcia Torres, a 58-year-old social worker who coordinates the "Supportive Friends" group, says the circumstances surrounding the loss of a loved one to COVID-19, with no proper funeral, make the grieving process even more difficult.

"It's not just 600 thousand people who are gone; it's a lot of people who die with them, emotionally.," said Bruna Chaves, who lost her mother and her stepfather to COVID-19.

According to the health ministry, Brazil recorded a total of 598,829 COVID-19 deaths and almost 21.5 million cases as of Wednesday.