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Brazil surpasses one million coronavirus cases
RIO DE JANEIRO, June 20, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Brazil passed the bleak milestone of one million coronavirus cases Friday, as the number of infections and deaths continues to surge in Latin America’s largest country.
The health ministry said it had recorded a one-day record of 54,771 new infections — largely due to “instability” in its reporting system during the week, which meant some states were reporting figures from multiple days at once.
That brought the total number of infections in Brazil to 1,032,913, with 48,954 deaths — second only to the United States worldwide.
Experts say under-testing in the country of 212 million people means the real numbers are probably much higher, although the infection curve is finally showing signs of flattening.
BSS/AFP/MMA/0900HRS