NEWSCOVID-19: Brazil State of Sao Paulo records more coronavirus deaths than China

Brazil’s most populous State, Sao Paulo, has surpassed China when it comes to the number of deaths from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

According to data released by Brazil’s Health Ministry on Saturday, there have been 4,688 COVID-19-related deaths in Sao Paulo, which is home to more than 40million people.

Official figures from China, which has a population of more than a billion, show the country has had 4,637 COVID-19 deaths. In the country as a whole, Brazil had recorded 15,633 deaths and 233,142 cases of infection as of Saturday.

Data from the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University put Brazil in sixth place worldwide in terms of deaths from the COVID-19.

Tensions over the response to the deadly disease are growing in the country, as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro continues to push for the country’s economy to reopen.