Amazonas governor toughens social isolation and criticizes federal government

Once a loyal supporter of President Jair Bolsonaro, the Governor of Amazonas Wilson Lima has lashed out at the federal government, claiming states are being left out to dry. “We need more help,” urged Mr. Lima. The governor — the first to face a collapse in his state’s healthcare system — has decided to extend and ramp up social isolation measures.

The use of face masks in public spaces is now mandatory in the state of Amazonas, while more police officers have been deployed on the streets to crack down on public gathering. Governor Lima remains reluctant to order a full lockdown. As of this morning, the state had 4,801 confirmed cases and 380 deaths — the highest rate of Covid-19 deaths in the country at 89.1 per 1 million people.

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