Americas account for half of world’s COVID-19 cases

BOGOTA, Colombia

The Americas continue to register some of the worst coronavirus numbers in the world, failing to flatten the curve.

Worldwide, there are nearly 30 million confirmed cases, half of which have been recorded in the region.

Latin America and the Caribbean have surpassed 8 million coronavirus cases. Argentina's cases surpassed the half-million mark, while in Mexico, fatalities climbed beyond 71,000. Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina are among the top 10 countries with the most confirmed coronavirus cases.

Peru

As Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra faces impeachment proceedings by Congress over leaked audio tapes and alleged ties to a singer involved in a corruption case, the country is also battling a sanitary, economic and political crisis.

The removal of Vizcarra from office will be voted on Friday as the country battles the second-worst coronavirus outbreak in Latin America amid its worst recession in decades.

Although Peru imposed one of the earliest and strictest lockdowns in the region to curb the spread of the coronavirus, it has seen cases rise rapidly.

It has now registered almost 730,000 coronavirus-related cases and more than 30,000 deaths.

Brazil

Brazil has registered more than 4.3 million cases, the third-highest number worldwide. It also has the highest number of deaths in Latin America, with over 132,000 so far.

But President Jair Bolsonaro said over the weekend that his country is "practically beating" the pandemic.

"We are practically beating the pandemic. The government has done everything possible to minimize its negative effects,” Bolsonaro said during his visit to the state of Bahia, where he announced an agreement with Russia to develop the Sputnik V vaccine.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and the state of Bahia have signed a cooperation agreement to supply up to 50 million doses of the Russian vaccine.