SAO PAULO, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Brazil registered 2,311 more deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the national death toll to 496,004, the health ministry said Thursday.
A total of 74,042 new infections were detected, raising the total caseload to 17,702,630, the ministry said.
Brazil has the world's second highest COVID-19 death toll, after the United States, and the third largest caseload, following the United States and India.
The South American country, which is experiencing a new wave of infections with hospitals overwhelmed by patients, has a mortality rate of 236 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, said the ministry.
More than 82.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered nationwide, and over 24.1 million people have received two jabs, it added. Enditem
