Brazil reports 1st COVID-19 death
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E-mail Xinhua, March 18, 2020
RIO DE JANEIRO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian authorities on Tuesday reported the country's first death from COVID-19.
The victim was a 62-year-old male resident of Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populous state and home to most of the cases in the country.
Sao Paulo's Health Secretariat said the victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, suffered from diabetes and hypertension, complicating his recovery from the virus that can cause pneumonia.
As of Tuesday, Brazil had 291 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo already have community transmission, meaning the virus is being spread locally, as opposed to the initial cases that involved patients who had contracted the disease abroad and then returned to Brazil.
The number of cases is increasing exponentially in Brazil, as less than a week ago the number of cases was below 100.
Several states have taken steps to slow the spread by promoting social distancing, suspending classes at schools and universities, closing museums and tourist attractions, and postponing football tournaments. Enditem
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