Brazil closes in on 200,000 COVID deaths as pandemic rages

Brazil is closing in on a tragic milestone on Thursday, with almost 200,000 people dying from COVID as the pandemic continues to rage in the largest country in South America. During the last 24 hour period some 1,524 people have died from the virus. Infections and deaths continue to challenge State and Federal health authorities working with a patchwork of policies that show little effectiveness in curtailing the rising toll. Only the United States surpasses Brazil's COVID deaths with 362,828 registered deaths from the virus.

A glimmer of hope is creating excitement at the Butantan Institute whose Director announced that a Chinese-made vaccine candidate is showing promise. Brazilian Federal Health authorities charged with approving new treatments are still studying whether to issue an emergency approval for the vaccine's distribution. Political figures such as the Governor of the country's most populous state of Sao Paulo, Joao Doria and a rival to President Jair Bolsonaro, is pushing for swift approval to use the Chinese vaccine.