Brazil reports over 1,000 deaths

Brazil has become the first country in the southern hemisphere to surpass 1,000 deaths with coronavirus.

The South American country has recorded at least 1,068 deaths and 19,789 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Most Brazilian state governors have imposed quarantine measures but President Jair Bolsonaro continues to challenge the restrictions.

Health officials say the outbreak is not expected to peak for a few weeks yet.

There is growing concern that the virus could spiral out of control, especially in poorer areas like favelas, crowded neighbourhoods where social distancing is hard to achieve and basic sanitation is lacking, the BBC’s South America correspondent, Katy Watson, reports from Sao Paulo.

There are also fears that Brazil’s indigenous communities could be devastated by an outbreak. Experts say they are more vulnerable because they have fewer natural defences to external diseases.

Read more via BBC