Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro insisted that the number of deaths from COVID-19 in Brazil is overestimated, and said that the country could be “one of the countries with the lowest death rate per capita” in the world.
Without presenting evidence or citing an alleged document from the Federal Audit Office (TCU), the state’s oversight body, which has already ruled on the matter and has denied the publication of any report that questioned the number of deaths from COVID-19, Bolsonaro questioned the official data. which make up 475,000 deaths due to the new coronavirus and reiterated that the actual number “should be” 50% lower.
However, data from the Ministry of Health rank Brazil as one of the countries most affected by the pandemic, along with the United States and India in both cases and deaths.
But Bolsonaro reiterates his view that the numbers are fraudulently inflated by governors and mayors because they receive “more financial resources” from the federal government to fight a pandemic that experts say is about to enter a new wave in the country.
Bolsonaro insisted on his theory during a ceremony held at an evangelical church in Anapolis, 150 kilometers from Brasilia, which brought together some 20 neo-Pentecostal pastors who are part of his political base.
The President also argued that many deaths were avoided thanks to the “early treatment” widely promoted by his government, which includes a number of drugs ineffective against covid-19…
“If we eliminate possible scams, in 2020 we will have the country with the lowest number of deaths per million due to coronavirus. What is this miracle? Early treatment, ”Bolsonaro said.
“A miracle happened. Early treatment and chloroquine, “said the head of state, receiving applause from pastors who also promoted” three Amazonian herbal tea, “which Bolsonaro said was used by two indigenous tribes including” there have been no deaths from covid-19. ” …
Bolsonaro, who denies the severity of the pandemic, also compared the drug hydroxychloroquine to vaccines used against covid-19.
The Brazilian president assessed that there was no scientific evidence for the vaccine’s effectiveness, saying the antidotes were in an experimental phase.
“[Medicamentos do chamado tratamento precoce] have no scientific evidence. And I ask: Is the vaccine scientifically proven or is it still experimental? this is [em estado] experimental, “he said, citing the local press.
However, the effectiveness of all vaccines used in the country has been validated by the National Health Surveillance Agency, a regulatory body in Brazil.
2,723 new deaths and 85,748 new infections
Brazil has recorded 2,723 deaths and 85,748 new cases of the novel coronavirus in 24 hours, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
In total, the South American country with a population of 212 million people is concentrated 479 515 dead and 17,122,877 positive covid-19 diagnoses since the start of the pandemic, officially registered in the country in February last year.
However, as it happened on Tuesday, Wednesday’s data is incomplete, apart from numbers registered in the state of Ceará, which due to technical problems was unable to transmit records in the last 24 hours in time.
The incidence in Brazil is 228 deaths and 8148 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
