Brazil has become the second country to surpass 1 million COVID-19 cases. It could soon exceed the US for infections and deaths.

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Brazil has become the second country to surpass 1 million COVID-19 cases. It could soon exceed the US for infections and deaths.
Aerial view of coffins being buried at an area where new graves have been dug at the Parque Taruma cemetery, during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, on April 21, 2020.MICHAEL DANTAS/AFP via Getty Images
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Brazil has become the second country to reach more than 1 million COVID-19 infections, after the United States surpassed 2 million infections earlier this month.

The country saw a major increase in cases on Friday, with 54,771 new infections — bringing the total number to 1,032,913, according to Sky News.

There were also 1,206 new deaths, bringing the total death toll to 48,954, the publication reports.

However, the health ministry said the record spike was due to reporting system corrections in some states from previous days.

Brazil is predicted to surpass the US both in coronavirus infections and deaths by the end of July, Business Insider reported.

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Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has frequently dismissed the severity of the pandemic, having attacked governors who chose to regulate health restrictions, according to The Post.

Despite the growing number of infections, the country has still not initiated a national testing campaign or a nationwide lockdown.

Meanwhile, more than 115,000 have died from the coronavirus in the US, and an infectious disease expert claimed that the virus won't slow down until "about 60% or 70%' of the American population is infected."

"About 5% of the US population has been infected to date with the virus, this virus is not going to rest until it gets to about 60% or 70%," Dr. Michael Osterholm told "Fox News Sunday."

"When I say rest, I mean just slow down, so one way or another we're going to see a lot of additional cases."

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