Nation lends Brazil helping hand

Latin American country faces uphill battle against virus

Editor's note: The world faces huge challenges during the global spread of COVID-19 and maybe even greater ones when it is over. Here, in the 17th part of a series titled "One World, One Fight", we look at how countries can work together to fight the virus and meet the challenges when the pandemic ends.

China has offered assistance to Brazil as the Latin American country struggles to keep its economy afloat and its population healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brazil is taking a massive economic hit from the outbreak, with infections continuing to spread and unprecedented challenges facing indigenous groups living in the Amazon rainforest.

With more than 3 million cases of COVID-19 and over 101,000 deaths, the country is the worst affected in the region, and the second-most-affected in the world.

Hospitals are on the verge of collapse, with most health resources focused on fighting the pandemic.

However, Brazilians remain divided on the measures the federal government should take to curb the outbreak.

Laura Olivera, a content producer for China Central Television in Sao Paulo, said: "Brazil is divided into opposing camps. On the one hand there are people who applaud the policies of President Jair Bolsonaro, following every word he says and supporting him unconditionally.

"On the other hand there are people in total disagreement with the measures he is taking, with his comments supporting use of the medication (hydroxychloroquine), and with measures being relaxed."