RIO DE JANEIRO/MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – The number of coronavirus deaths in Brazil blew past Italy’s toll yesterday, while Mexico reported a record number of new cases, as regional leaders in Latin America push to end quarantine measures and kick their economies back into gear.

Latin America as a whole has become a new focus of the coronavirus pandemic, with health officials urging governments there not to open their economies too fast and to avoid public crowds.

Brazil posted a record number of daily deaths for third consecutive day on Thursday, with 1,437 deaths over the last 24 hours and 30,925 additional coronavirus cases, according to data released by the Health Ministry.

With much of Latin America’s population living day to day from earnings in the informal sector, many regional leaders are keen to reopen local economies, amid signs of growing hunger and strains on public finances.

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro – Brazil’s second largest city, home to nearly 7 million people – allowed more than 10,000 street vendors to go back to work on Thursday

“The other day, some kid told me: I prefer to die of coronavirus than see my family die of hunger,” Rio Mayor Marcelo Crivella told journalists.

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