This Latin American Nation Now Has Over Half-A-Million Confirmed Coronavirus Cases

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. June 1, 2020: Brazil on Sunday passed the half-million mark of confirmed cases from thenovel coronavirus, a level of contagion second only to the United States.

As of last night, the case tally was 514,849, as the country reported 278,980 active cases. There are now 8,318 critical cases.

The country’sdeath toll surpassed that of France Saturday, as it now ranks only below the United States, Britain and Italy. The death toll in Brazil from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, increased to 29,314 Sunday.

The dramatic increase in cases and deaths comes as Brazilian states are preparing to ease quarantine restrictions despite warnings from public health experts who say the worst is still to come.

And as Brazil’s right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay the gravity of the epidemic.