Iran Press/ America: As the Coronavirus cases in Brazil steadily increases, the country remains in the grip of a deep political crisis.
Teich, whom Jair Bolsonaro criticized because he has not advocated the use of antimalarial drugs to combat the virus, held a news conference where he thanked Bolsonaro for giving him the opportunity to serve but did not indicate why he resigned.
Bolsonaro insists that although the antimalarial drug has not yet been proven effective against COVID-19, it should be applied, even to patients with mild symptoms, while Teich only authorized it, as did former Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta, for patients in a critical or terminal condition.
Teich took the job April 17 under pressure from the president to prioritize the economy above a health-driven lockdown.
After Teich’s resignation was announced, pot-banging protests were heard in different parts of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil has 218,000 confirmed cases and nearly 14,900 deaths from the virus. The surge in cases alarm neighboring countries.
Brazil's health ministry confirmed 15,305 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday in a record for a 24-hour period.
It also reported 824 related deaths. Brazil has registered 218,223 confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and 14,817 deaths.
Meanwhile, a Brazilian rights group says the coronavirus has hit 38 indigenous groups in the country and is spreading to Indigenous territories 'with frightening speed'.
Amid the jump in cases, Colombia militarized the border with Brazil to stem the spread of virus cases as infections and deaths rise in the Amazonas region.
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