Brazil confirms over 51,000 new COVID-19 cases, over 1,200 new deaths

More than 51,000 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Brazil in the past 24 hours, while the death toll increased by over 1,200 in that period, according to the latest data from the country's health ministry.

The Latin American country now has a total of 2,394,513 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 51,147 new cases having been registered in the past 24 hours, the ministry said on Saturday. Over the same period, 1,211 new deaths were confirmed, bringing the country's total toll up to 86,449.

On Friday, Brazil reported 55,891 new COVID-19 cases and over 1,150 new virus-related deaths. A week ago, Brazil's toll stood at around 78,700, thus the country has seen a weekly rise of about 8,000 coronavirus-related fatalities, one thousand more than the previous weekly rise.

Over 1.6 million people have recovered from COVID-19 in Brazil since the start of the epidemic in the country, according to the health ministry.

WHO Executive Director Michael Ryan said earlier this month that the coronavirus curve had plateaued in Brazil and that the country, which is only surpassed by the US in terms of total cases and deaths, could now push the disease down.

On Saturday, Brazilian media reported that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rio de Janeiro had cancelled the New Year's Eve celebrations that bring three million people every year to Copacabana beach.

President Jair Bolsonaro, who has tested positive for the new coronavirus twice since falling ill earlier in July, said on Saturday that his third test had come back negative. (Sputnik/)

( With inputs from ANI )