Now with the second-highest COVID-19 cases in the world, Brazil is feared to surpass 125,000 deaths by August 4, according estimates of the University of Washington.
This forecast comes as the country’s daily death toll exceeded that of the US, according to Reuters.
As of Wednesday, the death toll in Brazil stands at 25,598 deaths from the total COVID-19 cases of nearly 412,000.
The University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation has been used by the White House in reporting potential death toll in the US, Business Insider reported.
Experts have urged President Jair Bolsonaro to roll out strict lockdowns to mitigate the rapid spread of coronavirus among its pollution, but the leader refused.
“Brazil must follow the lead of Wuhan, China, as well as Italy, Spain, and New York by enforcing mandates and measures to gain control of a fast-moving epidemic and reduce transmission of the coronavirus,” wrote Christopher Murray, Director of the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
The COVID-19 death toll in the country has climbed as the virus creeps through slum areas.
Murray warned that Brazil will not reach its peak of deaths until it imposes stern actions to stop further infections.
On May 20 alone, the country had recorded 20,000 cases, which was about a fifth of the 106,000 new global cases the World Health Organization logged in a single day.
