Why Americans should "be very worried" about the C
Post# of 148187
Lots of recent news about Brazil. Here are the latest 7-day average of deaths/day per Reuters:
Brazil 3,068
US 969
India 844
Mexico 756
Poland 604
We have been getting some updates on LL from the Philippines but I have not seen anything from Brazil. Here is a link to a CBS This Morning report and some excerpts:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/brazil-covid-var...ronavirus/
Sao Paulo — Brazil's battle against a dangerous coronavirus variant has left its hospitals at breaking point, with new cases skyrocketing and the death toll climbing precipitously. One expert told CBS News that Americans should be "very worried about" the prospect of the mutant virus, or others yet undetected, gaining a foothold on U.S. soil.
The COVID-19 surge in Brazil is being driven both by the highly-infectious P-1 strain that was first detected in that country, and a highly-criticized government response to the pandemic. The variant has already been found in more than half of U.S. states.
De Jesus told Bojorquez that in her experience, fewer than half of the patients she's treating are likely to recover from the disease. Surprisingly, she said more and more of those patients are in their 20's, 30's and 40's.
Scientists believe the P-1 variant is fueling the surge. Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, a Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience at Duke University's School of Medicine, told CBS New that the strain is two-and-a-half times more easily transmitted from person to person, and that's a concern for everyone, even outside Brazil's borders.
Here are some excerpts and link from a Reuters report about the shortage of drugs.
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N2M71RL
SAO PAULO/BRASILIA, April 14 (Reuters) - Brazil’s richest and most populous state, Sao Paulo, has warned its ability to care for seriously ill COVID-19 patients is on the verge of collapse as it runs perilously low on key drugs, according to a letter to the federal government seen by the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.
Sao Paulo state said it expects to run out of crucial intubation drugs, needed to sedate patients, in the next few days, the paper reported on Wednesday.
“The supply situation regarding drugs, mainly neuromuscular blockers and sedatives, is very serious,” Sao Paulo Health Secretary Jean Gorinchteyn wrote in the letter.
If the Philippines starts using LL, surely Brazil can't be far behind.