Covid19 – Amazon variant three times more contagious
Brazilian Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello, on Thursday, said that the coronavirus variant identified in the Brazilian Amazon is three times more contagious. However, the early analysis suggests that the vaccines are effective against it. Talking about the recent surge in cases, he said that the rise in the cases was ‘unexpected’ as the Brazilian variant deeply affected the jungle city of Manaus. However, it is all under control now.
Under pressure as the variant hammers the jungle city of Manaus with a devastating second wave of infections, Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello sought to reassure lawmakers that the surge of recent months was unexpected but coming under control.
Brazil began immunizations with vaccines made by China’s Sinovac Biotech and Britain’s AstraZeneca about three weeks ago. Pazuello did not explain how their effectiveness against the Manaus variant was analysed. Nearly a quarter of Brazilians have said that they do not plan on taking the vaccine when it becomes available to them, echoing the words of President Jair Bolsonaro, who said he will refuse a shot. Bolsonaro said a few months ago that the vaccine turns people into crocodiles.
More than 7,000 people in Brazil’s Amazonas region have died from COVID-19 and nearly 240,000 people have died throughout the entire country.
