COVID-19 death toll in the Americas reaches 1 million people, says PAHO director

Over 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, said on Wednesday.

There is growing pressure on hospital capacity throughout North America. In some U.S. states, nearly 80% 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 worrisome, with three-quarters of ICU beds occupied in many Brazilian states, she said.