Rio Grande do Sul saw itself as one of the most efficient Brazilian states in the fight against Covid-19, having celebrated a supposed flattening of the infection curve on May 8. That joy was short-lived, however, as state authorities miscalculated total case numbers, having completely disregarded part of the data compiled by municipalities. On Wednesday, that resulted in 1,200 new cases “appearing from nowhere.”
Besides the hidden data, other factors show that Rio Grande do Sul has not yet come out of the other side of the crisis — unlike what the state government suggests, while authorizing the reopening of many services, such as gyms, bars, and shops. In the state capital Porto Alegre, intensive care admittances jumped 38 percent over the past couple of weeks, notably with patients from outside the city.
Also, as is the case in most states, there is evidence suggesting massive underreporting of cases. In the city of Caxias do Sul, for example, there are only three confirmed infections in ICUs — but 60 percent of all intensive care beds in the municipality are filled.
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