Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro has thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allowing the export of raw materials to continue production of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug believed effective in the treatment of the novel coronavirus. In his address to the nation on Wednesday, Mr. Bolsonaro said he thanked the Prime Modi and the people of India for timely help to the people of Brazil.
Brazil’s health minister said on Wednesday that the country’s attempts to purchase thousands of ventilators from China to fight a growing coronavirus epidemic had fallen through and the government is now looking to Brazilian companies to build the devices.
While Latin America’s two largest economies, Brazil and Mexico, fret over the wisdom of pursuing large economic stimulus packages that could erode fiscal targets, Peru is going big and getting rewarded.
Brazil said on Wednesday the first case of COVID-19 had been detected among the Yanomami people, an Amazon indigenous group known for its remoteness and its vulnerability to foreign diseases.
Services activity in Brazil shrank 1% in February, official figures showed on Wednesday, the biggest monthly fall in over 18 months and another sign Latin America's largest economy was already in go-slow mode before the coronavirus crisis erupted.
The US ambassador to Brazil on Tuesday denied reports that the US government took over Chinese supplies of medical equipment that were ordered by Brazil to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
As infections of the novel coronavirus rise steadily in Brazil and threaten to cause chaos in its densely populated favelas, some of the country's leading athletes are stepping up to help the most vulnerable communities.
Brazilian Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said on Monday he will continue in his post after overcoming a disagreement with President Jair Bolsonaro over the need for social distancing to stop the spread of coronavirus.
China demanded an explanation from Brazil on Monday after the conservative government’s education minister linked the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic to the Asian country’s “plan for world domination,” in a tweet imitating a Chinese accent.
Most Brazilians do not favor President Jair Bolsonaro resigning despite mounting criticism of his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a poll published by newspaper Folha de S.Paulo on Sunday.