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Brazil announces end of COVID-19 health emergency state in the country

Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga made a speech on Sunday
Agência Brasil
Publicada em 18/04/2022 - 09:35
Brasília
O ministro da Saúde, Marcelo Queiroga, faz pronunciamento em Rede Nacional Obrigatória de Emissoras de Rádio e Televisão.
© TV Brasil

Brazilian Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga announced in a radio and TV broadcast on Sunday night (April 17) the end of the public health emergency state due to the pandemic. According to the minister, the announcement was possible because of the improvement in the epidemiological scenario, the wide vaccination coverage, and the assistance capacity of Brazil’s national public health care system (SUS).

A normative act on the decision shall be published in the coming days, the minister said. “This measure does not mean the end of COVID-19. We will continue to live with the vírus. The Ministry of Health remains vigilant and prepared to take all necessary actions to ensure the health of all Brazilians, in full respect of the Federal Constitution,” he added.

Vaccination

In his speech, the minister said Brazil has carried out the largest vaccination campaign in its history, with the distribution of more than 476 million doses of vaccine. Over 73 percent of Brazilians have completed the full vaccination cycle against COVID-19 and 71 million have received the booster dose.

The minister has also mentioned the investments made in the area in the last two years. “Through the Ministry of Health Brazil has strengthened the SUS, expanding its surveillance capacity and the offer of primary and specialized health care. Over BRL 100 billion ($ 21 billion dollars) has been earmarked exclusively for fighting the pandemic, in addition to more than BRL 492 billion ($ 104 billions dollars) for regular health financing since 2020,” Queiroga reiterated.

Health emergency state

The public health emergency state in Brazil had been declared on February 3, 2020. At the end of that month, the first case of contamination by the new coronavirus was identified. The declaration of community transmission came in March, the month in which the first death from the disease was also recorded in the country.

According to the latest balance released by the Ministry of Health on Sunday (April 17), Brazil has recorded, since the beginning of the pandemic, 5,337,459 cases of COVID-19 and 661,960 deaths. 29,227,051 people have recovered from the disease, which represents 96.6 percent of those infected. 363,607 cases are still under follow-up.