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In the midst of a government crisis and an out of control pandemic, Brazil has again registered a daily high in corona deaths and is approaching the mark of 4,000 deaths within 24 hours.
The Ministry of Health in Brasília reported 3869 deaths related to Covid-19 in this 24-hour period on Wednesday evening (local time).
On Tuesday, Brazil recorded 3,780 corona deaths in one day.
"If the situation is not controlled - people pull the belt and the government vaccinates more - then we can reach 5000," said biochemist Fabiana Carneiro from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Duque de Caxias of the German press agency on the negligence of many Brazilians.
A total of 321,515 people have died in connection with Covid-19 in Brazil, and more than 12.7 million people have been proven to be infected with the coronavirus.
Only in the US are the numbers higher.
Brazil has 210 million inhabitants and is 24 times the size of Germany.
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The health system has collapsed or is collapsing in many places.
According to a survey by the newspaper “Folha de S. Paulo”, more than 90 percent of the intensive care beds for Covid-19 patients are occupied in 19 state capitals.
Medicines, especially for intubation, threatened to run out.
New Corona variant found in Brazil
Scientists from the “Instituto Butantan” research facility identified a new variant of the coronavirus in the city of Sorocaba near São Paulo that is said to be similar to the South African one.
The variant was discovered in a 34-year-old woman who showed mild symptoms, reported the news portal "G1".
According to Paulo Menezes, director of the São Paulo coronavirus emergency center, the patient has indicated that she has not recently traveled within or outside of Brazil.
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With viruses, random changes in the genetic material, called mutations, occur constantly.
Some give the pathogen advantages - for example, by making it easier to transmit.
In December a variant of the coronavirus (B.1.1.7) was detected in Great Britain and a similar one (501Y.V2) in South Africa, in January a variant (P.1) was detected after entering from Brazil.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro played down the corona virus from the start.
Most recently, the right-wing populist softened his tone a little - also with a view to vaccinations.
In the face of increasing criticism due to a lack of crisis management in the corona pandemic, Brazil's head of state replaced six ministers, and the heads of the army, air force and navy were newly appointed.