Covid 19 coronavirus: Brazil becomes second nation to top 300,000 deaths

A Covid-19 patient is treated in the Sao Jose municipal hospital, in Duque de Caxias, Brazil. Photo / AP

Brazil topped 300,000 confirmed Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday, becoming the second country to do so amid a spike in infections that has seen the South American country report record death tolls in recent days.

The United States reached the grim milestone on December 14 last year, but has a larger population than Brazil.

On Wednesday, Brazil's health ministry reported 2009 daily Covid-19 deaths, bringing its pandemic total to 300,685. On Tuesday, the country saw a single-day record of 3251 deaths.

A demonstrator places roses on mattresses symbolising Covid-19 victims, during a protest against the Government's handling of the pandemic in Rio de Janeiro. Photo / AP

According to local media reports, the latest coronavirus figures might be affected by changes in the government's counting system. Newly appointed Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said in a press conference that he was going to check whether the numbers had been artificially reduced.

With daily death tolls at pandemic highs, state governors and mayors in Brazil have expressed fears that April could be as bad as March for the country's overwhelmed hospitals.

Just in the past 75 days, Brazil has registered 100,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths, a spike health experts blame on a lack of political coordination in fighting the virus, new variants that spread more easily and a disregard for health protocols.

President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday held a meeting with the heads of other government branches to coordinate anti-virus efforts. But he didn't propose any policies to deal with the pandemic.

Bolsonaro has consistently downplayed the severity of the pandemic, insisting the economy must be kept humming to prevent worse hardship, and he has criticised health measures imposed by local leaders.

-AP