Happy Friday! Today, data suggests the worst of Brazil’s Omicron spike has passed. Contrary to Bolsonaro’s promises, deforestation is not bringing economic prosperity to the Amazon. Alarm raised as China begins to lose its appetite for soybeans.
Encouraging signs about the Omicron spread
There is reason to believe that Brazil may have already seen the worst of the Omicron spread. The seven-day rolling average of new daily cases is down 37 percent from the beginning of the month, and while deaths have remained at high levels, 82 percent of them were among unvaccinated individuals.
- Moreover, the newest InfoGripe report from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, a federally-run biological institute, shows a majority of states (including the most populous ones) are seeing a downward trend in cases of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI).
- Data collection on Covid has been inconsistent at times. Data on SARI cases (which can be caused by Covid) can offer a reliable beacon about the coronavirus’ effects on people’s health.
- Researchers at the University of São Paulo estimate that the coronavirus transmission rate will drop below 1 by Monday, indicating a receding spread.
Why it matters. Some experts say Brazil is close to transitioning into the “endemic” phase...