COVID-19 deaths rise in Brazil; Iceland quashes virus; World leaders respond to systemic racism

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Brazil recorded yet another day of record-high deaths due to the novel coronavirus — more than 1,200 — and nearly 29,000 additional cases. More than half a million people in the country have confirmed infections. But top leadership still refuses to act​ in accordance with the severity of the health crisis, as President Jair Bolsonaro continues to flaunt precautions and uphold the economy as sacrosanct. And as some regions loosen restrictions, COVID-19 shows no signs of slowing. 

Dr. Anders Tegnell, the man behind Sweden’s controversial response to the pandemic, acknowledged that more should have been done earlier on and the death rate has been far too high.

But Iceland has effectively quashed the virus without hard lockdowns. How? Aggressive contact tracing in a country of some 350,000 has practically vanquished the virus on the Nordic island.

What The World is following

In Mexico, tens of thousands of people are returning to work in the auto factories lining the US-Mexico border as the sector begins to reopen, despite a high infection rate and fears the industry won’t take necessary precautions.

World leaders and ambassadors have condemned the killing of George Floyd in the US and called for peace in protests. The European Union denounced the “abuse of power” that led to Floyd’s death, and Pope Francis prayed for the lives lost to the sins of racism, saying: “We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life.”

From The World

Somali Americans share in grief and pain over George Floyd’s killing

Malika Dahir, a Somali American and mother of three in Minneapolis, desperately needed an outlet to talk about George Floyd’s killing and everything that has happened since. So, she organized a prayer gathering for Somali Americans in her community. She can’t imagine how African Americans have borne the racism she’s also now experienced for whole generations. She said at least now, Somalis can show black Americans that they’re not alone.

Health disparities top of mind for Latina student voter

Long before the pandemic, Adela Diaz, an Arizona college freshman, was aware of disparities in health care access and outcomes for minorities in the US. The pandemic has widened the gap, she says.

The World is following the young Latino electorate as part of a collaborative public media project, “Every 30 Seconds.”

And: Systems of oppression in health care long made ‘invisible,’ Harvard prof says

Las Vegas gets a boost for coronavirus testing from UAE

Las Vegas is rolling out phase two of its reopening. The convention and visitors authority put out an ad promoting tourism to the state. Las Vegas is in a position to do so thanks in large part to a big boost that came from abroad: G42, an AI company from the United Arab Emirates, donated 200,000 test kits for the coronavirus and other medical supplies to Nevada — an estimated $20 million worth of equipment.

Morning focus

Key workers star on the cover of iconic fashion magazine, British Vogue, this July. 

In case you missed it

Listen: The intersection of racism and health amid the corornavirus

Today, The World explores the intersection of racism and health in this critical moment around the globe. And, as protests against police brutality continue across the world, many people are using social media to monitor events in real time, raising concerns about misinformation, conspiracy theories and outright false stories. Also, when Italy was hit hard by COVID-19 in February, researchers started looking into patients’ brains. What they found was that there are neurological symptoms to the coronavirus.

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