The Brazilian Ministry of Health has reported the first coronavirus case in South America. According to this, a patient of the Einstein Hospital in São Paolo tested positive for the virus, the ministry said on Twitter.
The sample was then sent for cross-checking to the designated national institute Adolfo Lutz, which is also located in São Paolo. There is no official confirmation yet newspaper Folha de S. Paulo reports howeverthat this sample was also positive.
“We are clearly worried,” said the online portal G1, the Brazilian Minister of Health Luiz Henrique Mandetta. The metropolis of São Paulo is the largest city in the country.
South America is the sixth continent to have its first coronavirus case. Less than two months ago, on December 30, a Chinese doctor had spoken for the first time about a virus that had caused an unusually high number of pneumonia.
Global spread within two months
More than 77,000 infections and around 2,600 deaths have now been recorded in China. More than 2,200 infections and more than 25 deaths have been reported from around 30 countries and regions outside mainland China. The virus is spreading more and more in Europe as well, particularly in northern Italy.
Asia has been hardest hit, and for a few days now Central Europe, North America, Australia and Oceania and especially Africa have only seen a few cases. So far, there has not been a single one in South America.
There is no protective vaccination or special therapy to treat the disease. The symptoms – including dry cough, fever and shortness of breath – can be alleviated with medication.
