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Healthcare collapse imminent, Brazil's Sao Paulo warns, as COVID-19 cases surge

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Eduardo Simões and Lisandra Paraguassu, Reuters

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/04/15/brazil.jpg"/><figcaption>A view shows people standing to receive food aid distributed by the &quot;G10 das Favelas&quot;, a group of slum&#x27;s entrepreneurs, amid the COVID-19 pandemic at Heliopolis slum in Sao Paulo, Brazil April 14, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. <em>Leonardo Benassatto, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>SAO PAULO/BRASILIA—Brazil&#x27;s richest and most populous state, Sao Paulo, has warned its ability to care for seriously ill COVID-19 patients is on the verge of collapse as it runs perilously low on key drugs, according to a letter to the federal government seen by the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.</p><p>Sao Paulo state said it expects to run out of crucial intubation drugs, needed to sedate patients, in the next few days, the paper reported on Wednesday.</p><p>&quot;The supply situation regarding drugs, mainly neuromuscular blockers and sedatives, is very serious,&quot; Sao Paulo Health Secretary Jean Gorinchteyn wrote in the letter.</p><p>&quot;Collapse is imminent,&quot; he said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/04/15/21/the-brazil-variant-what-we-know-about-this-contagious-covid-mutation">The Brazil variant: What we know about this contagious COVID mutation</a></li></ul><p>Gorinchteyn confirmed the letter in a news conference on Wednesday, telling reporters: &quot;we need the federal government to help us.&quot;</p><p>The situation in Sao Paulo, which has one of Brazil&#x27;s most sophisticated public hospital networks, is a dire indication of the strain on Brazil&#x27;s healthcare system.</p><p>A new survey by biomedical institute Fiocruz through April 10 found that 86% of beds in intensive care units (ICUs) in Sao Paulo are full. Nearly all of Brazil has ICUs suffering critical capacity shortages and 10 out of 26 Brazilian states have occupancy over 95%, the data shows.</p><p>Fiocruz said the data indicates there is still a high rate of transmission in the country and that &quot;the pandemic will remain at worrying levels throughout the month of April.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/classified-odd/04/12/21/rio-red-faced-over-vaccine-campaign-with-upside-down-mask">Rio red-faced over vaccine campaign with upside-down mask</a></li></ul><p>Brazil for several weeks has had some of the worst COVID-19 death tolls in the world, accounting for about a quarter of daily deaths attributed to the virus worldwide.</p><p>Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus: open https://tmsnrt.rs/2FThSv7 in an external browser.</p><p>President Jair Bolsonaro has been widely criticized for his handling of the pandemic, including downplaying the disease&#x27;s severity, promoting dubious treatments and repeatedly opposing social-distancing measures.</p><p>Experts say his handling of the outbreak has encouraged the virus to run rampant, increasing the likelihood of mutations, such as the P.1 variant, which has raised alarms worldwide.</p><p>Scientists studying the virus in Brazil found the P.1 variant is already mutating in ways that could make it better able to evade antibodies.</p><p>Brazil&#x27;s vaccination rollout also lags those of other large economies and has been plagued by dysfunction.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/04/12/21/brazil-now-has-more-young-than-old-covid-19-patients-in-icus">Brazil now has more young than old COVID-19 patients in ICUs</a></li></ul><p>On Wednesday, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said Pfizer Inc would increase deliveries of its coronavirus vaccine to 15.5 million doses in the second quarter, up from a previous estimate of 13.5 million. <strong>(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Jake Spring in Brasilia and Eduardo Simoes and Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paulo Editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Matthew Lewis)</strong></p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1661582" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Sao Paulo state said it expects to run out of crucial intubation drugs, needed to sedate patients, in the next few days, Brazil media reported on Wednesday.<br /> </p>

Sao Paulo state said it expects to run out of crucial intubation drugs, needed to sedate patients, in the next few days, Brazil media reported on Wednesday.

Healthcare collapse imminent, Brazil's Sao Paulo warns, as COVID-19 cases surge

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Healthcare collapse imminent, Brazil's Sao Paulo warns, as COVID-19 cases surge

Eduardo Simões and Lisandra Paraguassu,

Reuters

Published Apr 15, 2021 08:38 AM PHT

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Updated Apr 15, 2021 11:45 AM PHT

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