COVID-19: Brazil’s death toll soars, as WHO warns countries to press with efforts to contain virus

The death toll arising from COVID-19 infection is on the rise with health authorities reporting 679 deaths on Monday and 15,654 new cases amid growing controversy over its data and allegations of political manipulation.

This came also as the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to press on with efforts to contain the coronavirus.

“More than six months into the pandemic this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online briefing.

In a related development, Pakistan has recorded its deadliest day of the coronavirus outbreak so far, with at least 105 people dead, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Asad Hashim.

The country also registered 4,646 new cases taking the overall number of cases to 108,317.