Latin America named virus new epicenter

In cases, Brazil trails only US, where Trump cranks up reopening pressure

WASHINGTON－The World Health Organization declared Latin America "a new epicenter" of the coronavirus pandemic as US President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on state and local governments to speed up the reopening of the economy.

Surges in infections across much of Central and South America have driven the global case count to nearly 5.2 million, with more than 337,000 deaths, even as hard-hit Europe and the United States cautiously move into a recovery phase.

By Friday, the death toll in Brazil had soared to 21,048, and with 330,890 reported cases, the country overtook Russia to become the country with the second-largest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, just behind the United States. On Thursday, Brazil established another record by registering 1,188 deaths in one day.