In op-ed published in the Miami Herald this past weekend, Dr. Felicia Knaul and Dr. Michael Touchton discussed their analysis of the current situation in Latin America in regard to the pandemic of COVID-19.

Two of the main researchers of UM’s Observatory, Knaul and Touchton explained that political leaders’ dismissal of the severity of the pandemic and limited public health-related campaigning for combating the disease added to the severity of the situation in countries like Brazil and Mexico. To them, coronavirus has become “a national public-health crisis, not a left-wing or right-wing crisis.”

COVID-19 does not ask its victims about political preference. Yet, one cannot tell that from Bolsonaro’s rhetoric or from mayors’ and governos’ policy responses.

Felicia Knaul and Michael Touchton

The researchers further point out that countries in the Latin American region with populist leaders, like Brazil, had time to prepare for the pandemic “but chose not to. Instead, Bolsonaro wasted valuable time and claimed that COVID-19 would ‘disappear’.”

Read more: https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article245658545.html

The world has entered a ‘dangerous phase’ with the reopening, according to the WHO [Spanish; “‘El mundo entró en una ‘fase peligrosa’ con el desconfinamiento’: OMS”]

The general director of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned this Friday that the world has entered a new and dangerous phase in the fight against COVID-19 as countries reopen after quarantines and shutdowns. On Thursday, 150,000 new cases of COVID-19 were reported worldwide, with the majority in the US.

Quick molecular tests for detection of COVID-19 developed in Peru are ready [Spanish; “Pruebas moleculares rápidas para COVID-19 desarrolladas en Perú ya están listas“]

Scientists in Peru have developed a molecular test for the detection of COVID-19 that provides results within 40 minutes. The results of the new test are just as great or even better than current methods of PCR genetic testing used for detection of the new coronavirus.

American Airlines Bans Passenger Who Refused to Wear Face Mask [English]

Although the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has declined airline and union requests to make masks mandatory in flights, American Airlines and other US airlines have made their own policies requiring passengers to (AA) wear masks on their flights. This past Wednesday at LGA in New York, one passenger was ordered off his flight after ignoring crew requests to wear a mask, and is now banned from further AA flights while their mask policy is in place.

Demand for domestic flights in Brazil decrease 91% in May [Portuguese; “Demandas por voos domésticos cai 91% em maio”]

Overall demand for flights in Brazil have decreased significantly, with a 91% fall just in May for domestic flights. Demand for international flights fell 97% in comparison with the same month the previous year. Cargo transport decreased 54%.

Florida breaks another single-day record, with 3,822 new coronavirus cases [English]

Florida registered a daily record for the second day in a row in number of cases of COVID-19. More than half of all the cases in the state are within South Florida counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Monroe. Over 1.5 million people in the state have been tested, and almost 86,000 have tested positive for the virus as of now.

Vulnerable US Latino communities hard hit by COVID-19 [English]

Latino communities in the US are struggling with the spread of COVID-19 allover the country, from the suburbs of DC to farm areas in Florida. One of the reasons for the vulnerability of this community is that they “cannot afford to stop working,” as well as jobs that do not allow for social distancing, tight living conditions, lack of health insurance, mistrust of the medical system, and greater numbers of preexisting health conditions. In North Carolina, Latinos account for 45% of all COVID-19 cases.

The Coronavirus is killing many more young people in the developing world [Spanish; “El coronavirus está matando a muchos más jóvenes en los países en vías de desarrollo”]

COVID-19 is currently making its move towards the developing world, and while doing so, is changing the profile of victims of the disease. Opposite to what was seen in wealthier countries, the disease is killing more young people than older populations in the poorer countries, resulting in the need to understand the disease from a new perspective. In Brazil, people under 50 years of age account for 15% of deaths, which is more than 10 times greater than in Italy or Spain. In Mexico, about 1/4 of deaths are of people between 25 and 49 years old. In India, nearly half of deaths were of people younger than 60 years this month.

Colombia’s Medellin Emerges as Surprise COVID-19 Pioneer [English]

In Medellín, Colombia, only four deaths have been confirmed as caused by COVID-19, a remarkable number for a city with 2.5 million residents. This low number is the result of early preparation by government officials, as well as the use of an app early on to track data on the virus for containment. Although there was worry for privacy issues with the app, 1.3 million families voluntarily signed up for the app from the city and its surrounding areas, contributing to its efficacy in helping fight the local spread of the disease.

The US remove emergency approval for use of chloroquine [Portuguese; “EUA retiram aprovação de emergência para o uso de cloroquina“]

The FDA revoked its prior emergency authorization for the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, citing lack of proof of its benefits and efficiency for the treatment of COVID-19. In Brazil, the medications are still recommended by the Health Ministry, and its use is publicly supported by President Bolsonaro, which caused tension that led to the exit of the last Health Minister, Nelson Taich. The decision by the FDA comes two weeks after the US sent Brazil a donation of two million doses of hydrochloroquine for use in combating COVID-19.

Running a red light: Mexico’s reopening [English]

Mexico has begun its transition into reopening the country, but the move might be too soon considering the current numbers of COVID-19 in the country. As the article states it best, “Mexico looks set to join India and others in applying a peculiar pandemic policy principle: if you can’t subdue the virus, subdue your quarantine instead.”

The pandemic threatens to leave 16 million Latin American in extreme poverty [Spanish; “La pandemia amenaza con dejar a otros 16 millones de latinoamericanos en la pobreza extremas”]

FAO and Cepal are warning of the potential scenario in the Caribbean and Latin America as COVID-19 advances in the areas. With the effect of the sanitary crises, a growing unemployment rate, limited access to fresh food, and rising prices in markets, millions are opting for cheaper food with lower nutritional values. The agencies suggest that governments work to give citizens a financial aid of about $47 dollars per person to guarantee households have enough to pay for food.

The pandemic is causing growing rejection towards globalization [Portuguese; “Pandemia faz acelerar rejeição à globalização”]

The IMF projects a 11% decrease in the global commerce market this year, without any outlook for recuperation in 2021. In an even more pessimistic projection, the WTO projects a 13% fall. The first pointer towards the global economic crisis was the spread of COVID-19 in China, considered a “global factory,” including Wuhan, the city identified with the initial spread of the virus. Wuhan is the headquarters for the Chinese production of automobiles and steel and houses multiple multinational businesses. Although it is early to make precise predictions, experts agree that the impact of the pandemic on the global market will be significant.