Covid-19: WHO chief says situation in Brazil 'deeply concerning'

All stakeholders should take the situation seriously, adding that neighbouring countries could be affected.

The state of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil is very concerning and serious action needs to be taken to deal with rising cases and deaths there, the head of the World Health Organization said on Friday.

People wearing masks amid the Covid-19 pandemic wait to buy cooking gas from the Petrobrás Oil Tankers Union. (AP)

"Unless serious measures are taken the upward trend now flooding the health system and becoming more than its capacity will result in more deaths," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

He said all stakeholders should take the situation seriously, adding that neighbouring countries could be affected.

"The situation is deeply concerning and the measures that should be taken should be as serious as possible," Tedros said.