BRASILIA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Brazil on Tuesday reported the total number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 13,717, with 667 deaths, for a mortality rate of 4.9 percent.
According to the Health Ministry, 1,661 new cases of infection have been reported in the country in the past 24 hours, and 114 patients died.
The southeast state of Sao Paulo is the hardest hit, followed by Rio de Janeiro, Ceara, Amazonas, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, Parana, the Federal District and Bahia.
Some 8,138 confirmed cases have been registered in southeast Brazil.
The ministry has reinforced social distancing measures in a bid to slow the spread of infection and alleviate some of the burden on hospitals and healthcare workers.
