Brazil destroyed its previous daily record with 4,195 deaths from Covid-19, according to health ministry data on Tuesday, marking the world’s highest death toll during that 24-hour period, according to Johns Hopkins University. The new figures raised the total number of pandemic deaths in Brazil to almost 337,000.
In addition, nearly 87,000 new cases of Covid-19 were reported nationwide, bringing the total number of infections to 13,100,580, according to the health ministry.
Bolsonaro, who has continued to downplay the severity of his country’s health crisis, avoided claims that he was to blame for the country’s spiraling death toll. The president has repeatedly opposed the closures and restrictive measures and has criticized governors and mayors with insulting language for enforcing them.
“I was called homophobic, racist, fascist, torturer and now … what is it now? Now I am … someone who kills a lot of people? Genocide. Now, I am a genocide,” he told supporters Tuesday evening in front of the palace presidential election, according to the video posted on YouTube.
Several of Bolsonaro’s political opponents have accused him of “genocide,” using the term vaguely to characterize the consequences of his response to Covid-19.
“Why am I not blamed here in Brazil?” Bolsonaro asked rhetorically in the video.
The Brazilian leader seemed to imply that the pandemic was an invention of the media that could be solved by providing government subsidies to organizations.
“I can solve the problem with the virus in a few minutes. I only have to pay what governments paid in the past in Globo, in Folha [de São Paulo]”The state of São Paulo,” he said, referring to a national station and two São Paulo-based newspapers. “Now, that money is not for the press, but for other things.”
And he challenged his stance on restrictions, saying he disagreed with proponents of social distancing measures and argued – incorrectly – that states that imposed tougher restrictions experience higher mortality rates.
“Which state has closed the most? São Paulo. What is the highest number of deaths, proportionally? São Paulo,” he falsely stated.
Although São Paulo has the absolute number of deaths, it ranks tenth in deaths per capita.
About a third of the deaths reported on Tuesday occurred in São Paulo, where 1,389 people died in 24 hours, according to state government data, a record for the most deaths in a single day in any Brazilian state.
This comes despite the state imposing more restrictive measures a month ago, including closing down companies that deal directly with the public, such as shops, restaurants and bars.
Bolsonaro also said the blockade would be counterproductive, as people would be more vulnerable to the virus.
“I saw some recent research that those who have a healthy lifestyle are eight times less likely to have problems with Covid,” he said. “Do you lock people at home … what do they do at home? I doubt they haven’t gained a little weight, from last year to this year.”
“Even I grew my belly a little,” he joked.
The record daily count comes as hospitals and intensive care units (ICUs) in some cities are taking patients away and the nation’s entire healthcare system is on the verge of collapse. Brazil is fighting several new variants, some of which scientists believe are more contagious. Younger people appear to suffer from more serious illnesses than in the early stages of the pandemic, although it is unclear what role variants may play in this trend.
At the end of Tuesday, 23 of the 27 Brazilian federations reported an ICU employment rate of 80% or more. Of these, 15 have fallen or are about to collapse, with an ICU occupancy of over 90%. Mato Grosso do Sul already has overcapacity, while only four states have less than 80% occupancy.
Brazil’s vaccine launch program has also been delayed.
Bolsonaro on Tuesday expressed interest in acquiring Russian vaccine Sputnik V Covid-19, during a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bolsonaro added that the shooting would first need approval in the country.
“We are finalizing communications with each other [health] authorities, including Anvisa, on how we can effectively import this vaccine, “Bolsonaro said, referring to Brazil’s health regulatory agency.
Global Covid-19 cases have risen for the sixth consecutive week, according to the World Health Organization’s weekly epidemiology update on Tuesday. Brazil, the United States, Turkey, France and India have the highest number of cases.