Brazil's health minister has urged the government to speak with one voice in its fight against the coronavirus, calling out President Jair Bolsonaro for downplaying the threat ahead of what could be the two toughest months of the outbreak.
In a television interview airing late on Sunday, Health Minister Henrique Mandetta also criticised people for gathering in public without referring directly to Mr Bolsonaro, who hit the streets over the weekend, drawing crowds and greeting followers.
"I hope we can speak with a single, unified message, because otherwise Brazilians end up doubting. They don't know whether to listen to the health minister, the president. Who should they listen to," Mr Mandetta said.
Although the minister dodged what many expected would be a firing last week, he and the president remain at odds over the outbreak, with Mr Bolsonaro criticising isolation policies and suggesting the worst may already be past.
Brazil's death toll rose to 1223 people on Sunday, 99 more than the previous day's tally, while the number of confirmed cases hit 22,169, according to Health Ministry data.
Still, the far-right president, a former army captain, told evangelical Christian leaders in a video address on Sunday that "it seems the matter of the virus is starting to go away."
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro leaves the Palacio do Alvorada, the seat of the presidency, in Brasilia, Brazil, 13 April 2020. Source: AAP
In the interview airing later on Sunday, however, Mr Mandetta warned that the hardest days of the outbreak will be felt in May and June.
"The behaviour of society is what will dictate the coming weeks," the minister added. "When you see people entering bakeries, supermarkets, queueing one close to the other, this is clearly wrong," he said.
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