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1 1 (February 25, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/govecjo0001 and id is 1 raw text is: rv ~f~ir~ th~ ¼jk at4 #~ del site ~i n~ 1~ 14 S Updated February 25, 2021 Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19 The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having widespread economic, social, and political effects on Latin America and the Caribbean, a region with strong congressional interest because of deep U.S. linkages. As of February 22, 2021, the region had almost 20.8 million confirmed cases (18.6% of cases worldwide) and over 661,000 deaths (26.7% of deaths worldwide). Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Peru had the highest numbers of deaths in the region, and Brazil had the second- highest death toll worldwide, after the United States. The regional rankings change in terms ofper capita deaths- Mexico had the highest recorded deaths per capita, followed by Peru, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil (see Table 1). The Pan American Health Organization(PAHO) reported on February 24 that although infections were declining in many countries in the region, there were increased outbreaks in Peru along the border areas with Brazil and Colombia and several Caribbean countries were reporting arise in infections. A University ofWashington COVID-19 projection model (updated February 20,2021) forecasts deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean could reach over 924,000 by June 1, 2021. Experts and observers haveexpressed concernthatsome countries, such as Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, have undercounted their death tolls significantly. Many observeis have expressed special concern for Venezuela, where the health care systemwas collapsing prior to thepandemic. PAHOhas played a major role in supporting countries in preventing, detecting, and responding to the pandemic. When thepandemic began to surge in the region in May 2020, PAHO Director Dr. Caris s a Etienne expressed concern about the poor and other vulnerable groups at greatest risk, including those living in the Amazon Basin (particularly indigenous communities); people of African descent; migrants in temporary settlements; and prisoneis in crowded jails. In July 2020, PAHO is sued an alert urging countries to intensify efforts to prevent further spread of the virus among indigenous communities in the Americas. The rollout ofvaccines in the regionhas been slow, and there is concernthatwidespreadvaccineaccess in some countries could be delayed until 2022. Chile has been an exception, with a goal of vaccinating 80% of its population by July 2021. PAHO has helped countries prepare for a rollout ofvaccines and facilitated access to vaccines under the COVAX Facility, a mechanismdeveloped by global health organizations forpooledprocurement and distribution of vaccines. Twenty-two countries in the region have signed agreements to access vaccines through the facility. In addition, 10 countries in the region-Bolivia, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines- are eligible to benefit fromthe COVID-19 Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC), launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to provide donor-funded vaccines for low- and middle-income economies worldwide. Many countries in the region also have signed commercial agreements with pharmaceutical companies, and severalcountries havebegun using Chinese and Rus sian vaccines. India also has donated vaccines to several Caribbean countries. Cuba has been making progress on a vaccine it is developing. Table I. COVID-19 Cases, Deaths, and Mortality Rates in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) (countries with more than 2,000 deaths, as of Feb. 22, 2021) Country Cases Deaths Deaths per (millions) 100,000 Brazil 10.195 247,143 117.99 Mexico 2.043 180,536 143.07 Colombia 2.230 58,974 118.78 Argentina 2.070 51,359 115.43 Peru 1.283 45,097 140.98 Chile .803 20.126 107.46 Ecuador .275 15,547 91.00 Bolivia .243 11,470 101.03 Guatemala .171 6,306 36.56 Panama .337 5,756 137.81 Honduras .166 4,024 41.97 Paraguay .153 3,080 44.28 Dom. Rep. .236 3.048 28.68 Costa Rica .203 2,782 55.65 Total LAC 20.797 661,149 - United States 28.189 500,244 152.90 Source: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Coronavirus Resource Center, Mortality Analyses, February 23, 2021, u pdated daily, at https://coronavirus.jh u.ed u/data/mortality. Economic Impact Before the pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected 1.6% economic growth for the region in 2020; in its January 2021 World Economic Outlook Update, the IMF estimated a 7.4% economic contraction for the region. Economic recovery may be a protractedprocess in countries that rely heavily on global trade and