Coronavirus

Covid deaths rise in 12 Brazilian states

deaths Opposition senators pay homage to coronavirus victims during a session of the Covid hearings committee. Photo: Alessandro Dantas
Opposition senators pay homage to coronavirus victims during a session of the Covid hearings committee. Photo: Alessandro Dantas

With almost 70 percent of the Brazilian population having received at least one coronavirus vaccine — with 40 percent fully immunized — Covid deaths in Brazil have been in freefall for the past three months. In recent weeks, however, deaths have risen in 12 of the country’s 27 states.

The virus death curve rose by more than 15 percent on Sunday compared with the indicator two weeks ago (September 12). Variations above 15 percent indicate this is not a one-off oscillation, but rather a change in the pattern observed at least 14 days ago. The state of Acre saw the highest increase, with an 850-percent rise between September 12 and 26, though its absolute number of coronavirus deaths (1,836) remains the lowest in the country. 

The considerable increase comes mainly because of a data update from September 21, when state health authorities reported 18 more deaths than the day before, the highest number ever reported in 24 hours in the state since the start of the pandemic.

Alongside Acre, the states that saw the greatest increases in average Covid-19 deaths were Tocantins, Pará, Amapá, and Espírito Santo — all with variations of at least 50 percent.

On the other hand, the states of Minas Gerais, Roraima, Amazonas, Mato Grosso, and Ceará had drops in death figures of at least 30 percent. Another eight states saw variations below 15 percent and remained stable.