Fewer deaths during rise of virus cases in Brazil

A Brazilian city outside Sao Paulo has adapted its field hospital into a COVID-19 testing site as the highly contagious omicron variant drives up case rates but not yet hospitalizations.

The facility in Franco da Rocha was set up during the pandemic to help the municipality cope with the number of serious coronavirus cases. Currently, there are no patients being treated for COVID-19 in hospital. Early studies show omicron is less likely to cause severe illness than the previous delta variant, and vaccination and a booster still offer strong protection from serious illness, hospitalization and death. In Franco da Rocha, 90% of the populations over 12 years old have received at least two doses of a vaccine.