COVID-19 disaster, worldwide news

This 27 June 2020 video says about itself:

Luiz Henrique Mandetta: ‘Bolsonaro follows Trump‘ on coronavirus | Talk to Al Jazeera

On February 26, Brazil became the first country in South America to confirm a COVID-19 infection.

And as the number of cases increased over the subsequent weeks and months, its president, Jair Bolsonaro, refused to take any drastic measures. He fought with state leaders who imposed lockdowns and mandated social distancing rules – calling their actions “economically ruinous“.

Bolsonaro still refuses to acknowledge the seriousness of the global pandemic. He has called the virus nothing more than a “little flu”. His priority has been to keep the economy going at any cost.

But now, Brazil has recorded more than 1.2 million infections – and has the world’s second-highest death toll. And as Bolsonaro pushes for people to go back to work, two of his health ministers have walked away.

Nelson Teich had taken office on April 17, but left the job just four weeks later. Teich had replaced Luiz Henrique Mandetta, whom Bolsanaro had dismissed.

The president called it “a consensual divorce”, but Mandetta’s sacking caused anger across Brazil – with many banging pots and pans from their windows.

So, how will President Bolsanaro’s handling of this pandemic affect the more than 200 million Brazilians? And are his decisions influenced by his friendship with US President Donald Trump?

We put those questions to one of the men who played a central role during this crisis – Brazil’s former health minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta.

From daily The Morning Star in Britain, 26 June 2020:

Honduran health workers demand PPE after 160 test positive for Covid-19 in state-run hospital

HONDURAN President Juan Orlando Hernandez has come under fire for his disastrous handling of the global Covid-19 pandemic after 160 health workers tested positive for the virus.

The state-run Tegucigalpa University Teaching Hospital (HEU) reported earlier this week that 160 workers had been isolated after the test results, leaving the hospital short of staff when admissions due to Covid-19 are on the rise.

Honduras has more than 15,000 confirmed cases of which 1,600 have recovered. At least 426 people have died.

By Ceren Sagir in Britain, 26 June 2020:

Suspected coronavirus outbreaks in schools almost double in last week

THE number of suspected coronavirus outbreaks in schools almost doubled in the last week, according to the latest Public Health England (PHE) figures.

In its weekly Covid-19 surveillance report, PHE found that the number of “acute respiratory outbreaks” in schools rose from 24 to 44 — 16 more outbreaks than were recorded in hospitals.

An outbreak is defined as two or more people experiencing a similar illness, which appears to be linked to a particular setting.

By Peter Lazenby in Britain, 26 June 2020:

Social care workers dying from coronavirus at twice the rate of the population

ONS figures show women care workers are twice as likely as the general population to be killed by coronavirus — and for male workers the figures are even worse

WORKERS in the care system are dying at twice the rate of the rest of the population through coronavirus because of the government’s failings, unions warned today.

Government claims to have put a “protective ring” around the care sector early in the pandemic were exposed via a new Office for National Statistics (ONS) release today which revealed shocking death rates among care workers.

The figures show that women care workers are twice as likely as the general population to be killed by coronavirus — and for male workers the figures are even worse.

From daily The Morning Star in Britain, 26 June 2020:

Disabled GMB member who complained about being refused PPE reinstated after disciplinary charges

A DISABLED member of the GMB union suspended by his employer after asking for personal protective equipment (PPE) has had his disciplinary charges dropped, it emerged yesterday.

The man, who has not been named, has been told he can return to work by his bosses at outsourcing company ISS.

The refuse collector at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in London’s Woolwich had requested a face mask because he feared contracting Covid-19 and passing it on to his brother, who he lives with.