Brazil's COVID-19 death toll tops 200, caseload reaches 5,717

Brazil's Health Ministry on Tuesday reported that the death toll from COVID-19 has climbed from 159 to 201, as cases of infection rose from 4,579 to 5,717.

The figures show the country's COVID-19 fatality rate is 3.5 percent, said the ministry.

Over the past 24 hours, 1,138 more people have tested positive for the virus, compared with 323 new cases reported over the previous 24-hour period.

The largest portion of the infections was in the state of Sao Paulo (2,339), followed by Rio de Janeiro (708), Ceara (390), the Federal District (332), Minas Gerais (275), Rio Grande do Sul (274), Santa Catarina (219), Bahia (213), Amazonas (175), Parana (179), Espirito Santo (84) and Pernambuco (87).

On Monday, Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta called for continued social distancing to flatten the curve of infections and give the healthcare system time to expand its services.

Meanwhile, state governments have announced that they will extend restrictions on movement for a longer period, beyond next week's deadline for lifting quarantine in some locations.

xinhua