A look at the state of things in Latin America in the wake of COVID-19
CGTN
Since the start of the year, the COVID-19 pandemic has moved westward, from East Asia to the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Now it is starting to hit the global South, including Latin America. The situation is concerning, not only for the impact it is having on countries' health care systems but also for the economic costs that are expected. Yet, at the same time, there may be some silver linings, both in the efforts of individual governments as well as a revitalization of public support for democracy.
First, in terms of the public health challenge, Marcos Espinal of the Pan American Health Organization said last month that June was a "critical month". When he said this, he believed that this would be especially the case for those countries that implemented early measures to contain the virus. Should they prove effective, they should start to reap the benefits in terms of fewer infections and less pressure on their health care systems.
Espinal's words came just as the number of cases in Latin America was set to increase. Between May and June, the total number increased by over a million. Brazil led the way around 960,000 cases, followed by Peru with 240,000, Chile with 184,000, and Mexico with 160,000.
