Americas are new coronavirus epicentre as deaths surge, World Health Organisation says
- Latin America has passed Europe and US in daily infections, says WHO director for the Americas Carissa Etienne
- Officials concerned over Brazil’s death toll, as well as accelerating outbreaks in Peru, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua
The Americas have emerged as the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a Tuesday briefing, as a US study forecast deaths surging in Brazil and other Latin American countries through August.
“Now is not the time for countries to ease restrictions,” Dr Carissa Etienne, WHO director for the Americas and head of the Pan American Health Organisation, said via video conference.
The Americas have registered more than 2.4 million cases of the new coronavirus and more than 143,000 deaths from the resulting Covid-19 respiratory disease. Latin America has passed Europe and the United States in daily infections, she said.
“Our region has become the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Etienne said, as other PAHO directors warned there are “very tough” weeks ahead for the region and Brazil has a long way to go before it will see the pandemic end.
Also of concern to WHO officials are accelerating outbreaks in Peru, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.