WHO Declares Latin America Epicenter Of Coronavirus

 

Latin America has been declared the epicenter of the novel coronavirus by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

This declaration came as countries on the South American continent, reaching into the central parts of the Americas, have continued to record more cases, adding to the global coronavirus case that stands at 5.2 million, and a fatality of over 337,000.

Brazil, a country with the third-highest coronavirus cases in the world, moving past Spain, Italy, Germany, and the UK, has a total of 310,000 cases and a death toll of more than 20,000.

Speaking on the matter, the emergency director WHO, Mike Ryan, said, “In a sense, South America has become a new epicenter for the disease.

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“We’ve seen many South American countries with increasing numbers of cases… but certainly the most affected is Brazil at this point.”

In contrast to the mortality demography as observed in Europe and the United States, where deaths were recorded mostly among the elderly, in Brazil, most recorded deaths fell under the "young" demography.

An epidemiologist at the University of Brasilia, Mauro Sanchez, said, “Since Brazil has a younger population, it’s normal for the number of cases to be higher among under-60s.

“What’s perverse is that a lot of the people who are exposing themselves to the virus are doing it because they don’t have a choice.”

The American Pandemic Dilemma

In the United States, Trump has asked that local and state governments begin to ease COVID-19 restrictions, and reopen the American economy, adding that churches and synagogues be classified as "essential services", allowing for religious gatherings.

The United States has a total of 1.6 million infections, and a death toll of 960,000, the highest in the world in both infections and death toll.

Trump said, arguing for the reopening of churches and other religious worship places, “The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now, for this weekend.

“If they don’t do it, I will override the governors. In America, we need more prayer, not less."