Latin America is losing the battle against coronavirus
Coronavirus-related cases and deaths across the region are rising faster than anywhere in the world. And in the worst-hit countries, they show no signs of slowing down. The region has recorded nearly 1.2 million cases and more than 60,000 deaths, CNN reports.
«We are especially worried about Central and South America, where many countries are witnessing accelerating epidemics,» World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.
The WHO does not believe either Central or South America have reached peak transmission, meaning the number of people getting sick and dying might continue to rise.
Health officials warn countries against reopening their economies too soon, even as nations prepare to reopen or have already done so.
Here's a look at the outbreaks in three of Latin America's hardest-hit countries, which account for roughly 60% of the region's population. And there is a success story as well.
Brazil
Brazil is stuck in crisis mode.
The country has recorded at least 645,771 coronavirus cases and 35,026 deaths.
It recently passed Italy to become the country with the third-highest deaths in the world and will likely surpass the United Kingdom soon.
That means Brazil will have both the second-most cases and deaths in the world, trailing only the United States.
It's worth noting, however, that Brazil is testing at a far lower rate than the US. That means many cases go unregistered.