The sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the state has resulted in a public health breakdown with a shortage of intensive care beds and oxygen. Jair Bolsonaro’s government now admits that it was aware of the impending lack of oxygen eight days before the collapse of several hospitals on January 14th.
At the request of President Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan government is sending oxygen tanks to the Brazilian state of Amazonas. The information was confirmed on social media by the MP for the Amazon, José Ricardo of the Workers’ Party (PT). State Governor Wilson Lima also thanked the Venezuelan government on social media.
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According to Lima, from April 2020, the first peak of the disease, oxygen consumption increased by approximately 130% through January 13.
Family members of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and relatives of the Health professionals in Manaus, the capital of the Amazon, said the situation has deteriorated rapidly in recent hours due to the lack of oxygen and beds in the intensive care unit.
The president of the Amazon Doctors Union, Mário Vianna, said on the social Media that patients stay alive « because of the efforts of doctors, nurses and technicians ». Some have even reported trying to have the treatment done at home.
« This is a terrible situation that we feared would occur and denounce. At this moment, I appeal to all the authorities to join forces so that we can urgently find a solution. Transporting oxygen from other states like it was a war is a necessity to save lives, « he said.
According to the National Council of Health Secretaries (CONASS), on the night of January 14, 5920 Deaths registered and 223,360 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the state. In the week of January 3-9, 344 deaths were confirmed. In the week before January 2, 152 deaths were confirmed.
The increase is also evident in the number of new cases. From January 3 to 9, 11,129 new infections were confirmed, while in the previous week to January 2, 5930 new infections were registered, less than half.
The solidarity gesture of the Venezuelans towards the struggling Brazilian state was recognized by many in Brazil and welcomed throughout the region. The government of Jair Bolsonaro has pursued a policy of aggression towards the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela since taking office in 2019 and has sabotaged many of the historical ties of economic and political cooperation between the two countries.
However, the Venezuelan people and the Venezuelan government have insisted insisted on overcoming the stance of the central government in order to support the Brazilian people. The country that borders Venezuela is one of the hardest hit countries by COVID-19. The number of confirmed infections and deaths is surpassed only by the US with over 8,324,294 confirmed cases and 207,095 deaths as of January 15.
When Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza announced the decision to send oxygen tanks to the Amazon, wrote he on Twitter: “At the direction of President Nicolás Maduro, we spoke to the Governor of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, Wilson Lima, to immediately provide all the oxygen needed to attend to the public health crisis in Manaus. Especially Latin American solidarity! “
Meanwhile, Venezuela has received one of the most comprehensive responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was one of the first countries to enact quarantine and expand existing public health infrastructure to increase treatment and prevention capacities. As a result, the country was able to control the spread and take care of the infected. As of January 14th, there were 118,415 confirmed cases and 1090 deaths.
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