(This March 9 story corrects death toll in second paragraph)
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil registered 1,972 new COVID-19 deaths in a single day on Tuesday, a record, according to the Health Ministry.
The country had 70,764 new cases of coronavirus, reaching a total of 11.12 million infections. Brazil had 268,370 coronavirus deaths.
Rio de Janeiro-based research institute Fiocruz said in a report on Tuesday that more than 80% of intensive care unit (ICU) beds are occupied in the capitals of 25 of Brazil’s 27 states. In 15 of Brazil’s largest cities, 90% of ICU beds occupied.
The institute said a growing number of cities risk a collapse of their health systems.
(Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by Richard Pullin)
