Brazil sets new daily record for Covid-19 deaths as President Jair Bolsonaro rejects lockdown

Brazil reported 4,249 Covid-19 deaths on April 8, 2021, setting a new daily record for the country that is now only second to the US for the most cases and fatalities. President Jair Bolsonaro has continued to downplay the severity of infections in Brazil, despite a fast-spreading variant sweeping the country. The nation’s health care system is under severe strain, with many of the intensive-care units operating at full capacity.