South America

RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan 6 (NNN-CMA) – Brazil saw 1,171 more deaths from COVID-19, in 24 hours, raising the total death toll to 197,732, the Ministry of Health, said.

According to the ministry, tests detected 56,648 new cases in the same period, bringing the accumulated caseload to 7,810,400, since the onset of the pandemic.

The deaths reported were the second-highest single-day fatalities since Sept, when 1,194 patients died.

BRASILIA, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of wildfires in Brazil increased 12.7 percent last year to a decade-high, according to official figures likely to add to pressure on President Jair Bolsonaro’s government over the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

There were a total of 222,798 wildfires across Brazil in 2020, the highest number since 2010, according to the Brazilian space agency, INPE.

QUITO, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador is unlikely to reimpose a nationwide lockdown despite an increasing COVID-19 infection rate, said Vice Minister of Health Xavier Solorzano on Sunday.

His remarks came the same day as a state of emergency imposed since Dec. 21 was declared unconstitutional.

The 30-day state of emergency, which included a daily curfew and restrictions on mobility, drinking and hospitality industry, could have a strong adverse effect on the economy as well as people's mental health, Solorzano said in a television interview.

BRASILIA (AP) — Brazil’s pugnacious president, Jair Bolsonaro, survived 2020 in surprisingly good shape personally and politically, with buoyant popularity ratings despite his own bout of COVID-19 and a broader pandemic that has killed nearly 200,000 of his countrymen.

But the new year — and a looming reelection campaign — bring risks on all sides for the populist who has fought to limit environmental protections and rein in leftist influence on government and culture while feuding even with fellow conservatives in Latin America’s largest nation.

BRASILIA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's government on Thursday announced it was raising the minimum wage for 2021, from 1,045 reals (201 U.S. dollars) to 1,100 reals (212 U.S. dollars).

The new minimum wage will take effect on Jan. 1, according to the Government Gazette.

The Economy Ministry based the adjustment on a forecast increase of 5.22 percent in the National Consumer Price Index, which serves as the basis for annual adjustment of the minimum wage.

BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez on Thursday ruled out imposing a curfew to curb crowds and gatherings amid an increase in the novel coronavirus disease, but said officials were looking at alternative measures.

"We are contemplating the possibility of the security forces breaking up crowds, but we are not going to implement a curfew," Fernandez told a local radio station.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil, a nation proud of its role as a regional leader in science, technology and medicine, finds itself falling behind its neighbors in the global race for immunization against a pandemic that has already killed nearly 200,000 of its people.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Brazil registered 1,111 deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the highest daily count fatalities since Oct. 3, when 1,307 people died, the Health Ministry said Tuesday.

The death toll from COVID-19 nationwide has thus amounted to 192,681.

Meanwhile, 58,718 new cases were detected in the last 24 hours, the highest daily tally since Dec. 17, bringing the nationwide caseload to 7,563,551.

BUENOS AIRES, Dec 29 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Argentina begins vaccinating its citizens against coronavirus on Tuesday using the recently delivered Russian Sputnik V vaccine, the government said, following its approval by health authorities for emergency use.

Argentine president Alberto Fernández and provincial governors said health personnel would receive their vaccines in less than 72 hours. Around 300,000 doses arrived in Argentina on Dec 24, and subsequent shipments are expected early in 2021.

CARACAS, Dec 29 (NNN-TELESUR) — Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry reported on Monday that over 200 citizens returned to the country on a flight from Chile as part of the Return to the Homeland Plan.

According to Venezuelan authorities, 216 Venezuelans arrived Monday to the Maiquetía International Airport in the Northern state of La Guaira. Moreover, another 120 returned from Argentina on Sunday night.

The Foreign Ministry detailed that these Venezuelans “were stranded and in a vulnerable situation” as a result of the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.