Brazil sees worst week since pandemic began

RIO AFP JANEIRO, June29, 2020- Brazil had its worst week yet of the coronavirus pandemic in terms of new cases, registering 259,105 infections in the seven days through Sunday, according to health ministry figures.   

The country also reported its second-highest weekly death toll, with 7,005 people killed, just below the record of 7,285 set the previous week.   

Brazil, the country with the second-highest number of infections and deaths worldwide after the United States, has struggled to set a strategy for dealing with the pandemic.   

The latest grim figures came as protesters in various cities across the country and as far away as Stockholm, London and Barcelona held demonstrations against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of the health crisis.   

The far-right president has downplayed the new coronavirus as akin to a “little flu”. 

Experts say the real number of infections and deaths in Brazil is probably much higher than the official figures.  The health ministry began this week to test all suspected  coronavirus cases in the public health system, but under-testing remains  a problem in the country of 212 million people.