COVID death toll in Americas reaches 1 million people

 Hospital situation in Brazil is particularly worrying, with three-quarters of ICU beds occupied in many states, PAHO director says.

More than one million people in the Americas have now died from complications from COVID-19, the head of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Carissa Etienne has said.

More than one million people in the Americas have now died from complications from COVID-19, the head of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Carissa Etienne has said.

As many as 90,000 Americans are projected to die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks, the Biden administration has warned in its first science briefing on the pandemic.

There is growing pressure on hospital capacity throughout North America. In some US states, nearly 80 percent of ICU beds are being used to treat COVID-19 patients, and similar rates are seen in many Mexican states, she warned.

The hospital situation in Brazil is particularly worrying, with three-quarters of ICU beds occupied in many Brazilian states, she said.