Brazil’s giant coronavirus burial grounds exposed in shocking pics as leader still shrugs off bug as ‘just a little flu’

BRAZIL'S president brushes coronavirus off as "just a little flu" after chilling pictures of the country's mass burial grounds are revealed.

President Jair Bolsonaro, who claims he would "feel nothing" if he caught the virus, was also spotted coughing at an anti lockdown rally.

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The sobering photos of fresh graves dug at the Parque Taruma cemetery in Manaus, Amazonas state has emerged as the country battles against the spread of Covid-19.

It has been reported that the routine of 30 burials per day has increased to 120 in Amazonas.

The city government claims that the 'trench opening' methodology is international.

Access to the cemetery is restricted and only five family members are allowed to bury their loved ones at one time – whilst maintaining a safe distance from one another.

Mayor Arthur Virgilo said: "Today, of the 106 burials, 36,5 per cent of the people died at home."

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In Brazil, the death toll has hit 2,769 with 43,592 confirmed cases.

Speaking on TV Brazil, he said: "In my particular case, with my athletic history, if I were infected with the virus, I would have no reason to worry.

"I would feel nothing, or it would be at most just a little flu or a little cold," he added.

"Yes, we should return to normality. Some states and local authorities need to abandon the scorched-earth policy, blocking transport, closing businesses and mass confinement.

"The side effect of fighting the coronavirus, cannot, in my view, be more harmful than the medicine itself."

Polls show a majority of Brazilians disagree with the president and support stay-at-home measures.

It would be at most just a little flu or a little cold.

On Sunday, he joined a group of 600 protesters who gathered in front of Army headquarters in Brasilia to protest against stay-at-home measures enacted by individual state governors and called for a return to military rule.

As he addressed the crowd, he was seen coughing without covering his mouth.

Thirteen million people in Brazil live in favelas, or shantytowns, where social distancing is nearly impossible and basic sanitation is hard to come by.

The president has come under harsh criticism for his attitude towards fighting the virus.

Former Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta was one to challenge Bolsonaro on his dealings with the pandemic, but after the pair disagreed on the importance of social distancing, Bolsonaro fired him.

Speaking out since his sacking, Mr Mandetta said: "Science, discipline, planning and focus.

"Don't lose sight of this. These noises that you hear – one said this, the other said that, forget them, they are just white noise."

Paloma Freitas, a former Bolsonaro supporter told BBC News: "As a leader, as my president, he makes me more scared than calm."