COVID-19 Weekly Watch: September 21 – September 28 | Institute for Development Impact As the COVID-19 global death toll approaches one million, with the U.S. faring far worse than the rest of world, I4DI highlights the case and death disparities in the U.S and puts a spotlight on three countries on the heels of the United States in terms of total case count— India, Brazil, and Russia. While India has only just appeared to have reached its peak in daily case counts, both Brazil and Russia are continuing to struggle to reduce their case numbers following their peaks earlier this year. In Brazil, we look at COVID-19’s affect on the already at-risk indigenous population. Even prior to the pandemic, the Bolsonaro administration has been steadily removing safeguards for indigenous communities, opening once-protected lands to loggers and miners, and encouraging missionary work with vulnerable tribes. However, in the times of COVID-19, these policy changes are putting indigenous communities doubly at risk by exposing them to outsiders who could potentially transmit the virus.

COVID-19 Weekly Watch: September 21 – September 28

September 28, 2020

Authors: Chelsea Raubenheimer, Bridget Lavin, Azra K. Nurkic

As the COVID-19 global death toll approaches one million, with the U.S. faring far worse than the rest of world, I4DI highlights the case and death disparities in the U.S and puts a spotlight on three countries on the heels of the United States in terms of total case count— India, Brazil, and Russia. While India has only just appeared to have reached its peak in daily case counts, both Brazil and Russia are continuing to struggle to reduce their case numbers following their peaks earlier this year.

In Brazil, we look at COVID-19’s affect on the already at-risk indigenous population. Even prior to the pandemic, the Bolsonaro administration has been steadily removing safeguards for indigenous communities, opening once-protected lands to loggers and miners, and encouraging missionary work with vulnerable tribes. However, in the times of COVID-19, these policy changes are putting indigenous communities doubly at risk by exposing them to outsiders who could potentially transmit the virus.

Learn more about the current state of the affairs in Brazil with this week’s infographic.

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Additional stats from this week include:

– 33+ million coronavirus cases now confirmed globally

– The United States is seeing a third surge with an increased daily case count reaching 55,054 new cases in a single day this week

– 1 in ~220 people has tested positive for COVID-19 in the world

– With the largest share of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world, the U.S. is seeing disproportional effects on communities of color.

– With about 6 million COVID-19 cases, India‘s daily case average has decreased this week , reaching mid 80,000.

– Slightly over a million Russians have tested positive for COVID-19. That is about half of the amount of yearly visitors to Lenin’s mausoleum.

– With nearly 5 million cases and 4,874 deaths in the past week, Brazil continues to see fluctuating daily case counts.

– In Brazil, this week’s peek at 66,338 cases and the lowest point with 14,318 cases in a single day

– Indigenous people in Brazil that contract COVID-19 are twice as likely to die of the virus than members of the general public.

– 1 in 2 residents in the Brazilian city of Manaus have tested positive for COVID-19, making it likely the most COVID-19 dense city in world.