U.S. bans travel from Brazil

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Brazil has nearly quadrupled to close to 375,000 since the end of April. In response, the United States on Sunday announced a ban on travelers from the South American country. National security adviser Robert O’Brien said the restrictions probably would be temporary.

How widespread is the coronavirus in Brazil? The country has the second-highest number of confirmed cases in the world, with more than 23,000 reported deaths and nearly 154,000 recoveries. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has called the virus “a little flu” and resisted social distancing and quarantine measures, but he has worn a mask in public. Two health ministers have been fired or quit over disagreements with the nation’s response.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Jamie Dean’s profile of the bombastic Bolsonaro.

Editor’s note: WORLD has updated this report since its initial posting.