BFF-02 Brazil passes 20,000 coronavirus deaths after record 24-hour toll: official

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VIRUS-BRAZIL-TOLL

Brazil passes 20,000 coronavirus deaths after record 24-hour toll: official

RIO DE JANEIRO, May 22, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The novel coronavirus death toll in Brazil surpassed 20,000 on Thursday, after a record number of fatalities in a 24-hour period, the Ministry of Health said.

The country is the epicenter of the outbreak in Latin America, and its highest one-day toll of 1,188 pushed overall deaths to 20,047.

Brazil has now recorded 310,087 confirmed cases, with experts saying under-testing means the real figures are probably much higher.

BSS/AFP/MMA/0905HRS