Bolsonaro says Omicron ‘welcome’ in Brazil as variant surges

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro says Omicron is "welcome" in Brazil despite the Covid-19 variant causing a surge in cases that is putting the country's health system under renewed pressure.

Initial hopes that Brazil’s punishing experience with previous waves of Covid and high vaccination rates would provide increased immunity against Omicron are fading as the new variant spreads rapidly. In recent weeks public health facilities in major cities have seen a huge influx of people seeking treatment for Omicron just as Brazil experiences its worst influenza outbreak in years, leading to shortages of medicines.

Mr Bolsonaro, a leading coronavirus denier who has consistently sought to downplay the impact of the virus, said the new variant was far less lethal and “could signal the end of the pandemic”.

His optimism was questioned by Michael Ryan, emergency director of the World Health Organisation, who warned: "This is not the time to declare that this is a welcome virus. No virus is welcome that kills people."

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Testing capacity

As in other countries Brazil has seen a massive surge in new Covid cases, from fewer than 3,000 a day in the run-up to Christmas to almost 88,000 on Wednesday, with many cases unrecorded due to a lack of testing capacity.

Test shortages have led to recommendations that those with severe symptoms be given priority in order to conserve dwindling stocks. Home testing is banned in Brazil.

Yet while the huge rise in infections has increased pressure on hospitals, it has produced only a small increase in mortality rates. The seven-day average for fatalities is 141 a day, far below the peak of almost 3,000 reached last April. More than 620,000 people have died from Covid in Brazil, second only to the death toll in the US.

The current spike in cases is causing staff shortages in key sectors, however. Workers in São Paulo’s primary care centres that make up the health service’s frontline were to hold an assembly on Thursday night to decide whether to go on strike in protest at deteriorating work conditions, with doctors saying they are exhausted from overwork, in part caused by the huge increase in those on sick leave.

Airlines

As Omicron spreads airlines are also suffering from the number of plane crews on sick leave, forcing companies to cancel thousands of flights during the busy summer holiday season.

In a bid to contain the spread of the virus São Paulo’s governor João Doria has called for the state’s municipalities to reduce by 30 per cent capacity at large events and restrict access to those already vaccinated.

Some 68 per cent of Brazilians are fully vaccinated and 15 per cent have already received a booster shot. In recent days Mr Bolsonaro has been involved in a public argument with his administration’s own medical agency over its authorisation of Covid vaccinations for children. He blamed unspecified hidden “interests” for being behind the decision, which he opposes.