Brazil hospitals struggling to cope with an influx of coronavirus patients

Brazil, the world's second-most badly affected country by coronavirus pandemic is struggling to accommodate the growing number of patients in hospitals. According to reports, public hospitals across the nation are lacking basic medical equipment hence posing a threat to the health of the people. Many hospitals in Brazil have no intensive care units (ICU) for patients severely ill by the disease and need immediate assistance. According to the Brazilian health ministry, the disease is currently present in 97.4% of municipalities across the country. 

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The Ministry of Health, however, claims that it has transferred extra funds and strengthened the service network of the Unified Health System (SUS), sending human resources (doctors and health professionals), supplies, medicines, pulmonary ventilators, diagnostic tests, training ICU beds for serious and very serious cases and Personal Protective Equipment (EPIS) for health professionals. Media reports on the contrary suggest that public hospitals in the country lack these facilities citing doctors and healthcare professionals as their sources. 

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COVID-19 tally in Brazil, world

According to the ministry, Brazil has recorded 20,74,860 confirmed cases of the disease, with 28,532 registered in national systems on July 17, which experts believe to be much higher because of inadequate testing. Regarding deaths, Brazil has 78,772 deaths from coronavirus with 921 deaths registered in the official systems on July 17. According to figures by Johns Hopkins University, the United States remains the worst-hit nation in the world with 3.7 million cases and at least 1,40,000 deaths as of July 18. Meanwhile, the world has recorded 14.3 million confirmed infections and over 6,00,000 deaths to date. 

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