Hospitals in Brazil close to collapse due to Covid 19

Hospitals and health systems in most of Brazil's largest cities are close to collapse due to Covid-19 cases, it is stated in the report by the country's Fiocruz institute.

The Rio de Janeiro-based institute said more than 80% of intensive care unit (ICU) beds are occupied in the capitals of 25 of Brazil's 27 states.

On Tuesday the country recorded 1,972 Covid deaths, a new daily record.

Brazil has recorded more than 266,000 deaths and 11 million cases since the pandemic began.

It has the second highest number of deaths in the world after the US and the third highest number of confirmed cases.

According to Fiocruz, 15 state capitals have ICUs that are at more than 90% capacity including Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and São Paulo.

Two cities – Porto Alegre and Campo Grande – have exceeded ICU capacity.

In its report it warned that figures pointed to the "overload and even collapse of health systems".

"The fight against Covid-19 was lost in 2020 and there is not the slightest chance of reversing this tragic circumstance in the first half of 2021," Fiocruz epidemiologist Jesem Orellana said, quoted by AFP news_copy agency.

"The best we can do is hope for the miracle of mass vaccination or a radical change in the management of the pandemic.

"Today, Brazil is a threat to humanity and an open-air laboratory where impunity in management seems to be the rule."