Second worst-hit Brazil's COVID-19 death toll surpasses 60,000 as cases climb to 1.44 million

To date, more than 10.5 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 513,000 fatalities.

The Christ the Redeemer statue is lit up with a message that reads in Portuguese; 'More than 60 thousand lives Brazil' in reference to the people who have died from COVID-19 in the country, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, July 1, 2020. (Photo | AP) 

BRASILIA: The number of people, who have died of COVID-19 in Brazil, has increased by 1,038 to 60,632 within the past 24 hours, the national Health Ministry said on late Wednesday.

Within the same period of time, the number of confirmed cases has risen by 46,712 to 1,448,753. Over 826,000 people have recovered since the start of the outbreak.

A day earlier, Brazil reported about 33,846 new cases of the coronavirus disease and 1,280 new fatalities.

Brazil comes second on a global tally of coronavirus cases after the United States, which has recorded more than 2.6 million COVID-19 patients.

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. To date, more than 10.5 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 513,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.