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A municipal health worker prepares to take samples from Vicencia Paulo de Araujo, who died at the age of 57 after reporting symptoms consistent with COVID-19, in Manaus, Brazil, on Wednesday.. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Record number of virus cases, 1,000 dead in 24 hours in Brazil

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Brazil registered a new record in COVID-19 cases and more than 1,000 dead in a 24 hour period, according to official figures out Thursday.

The South American country has the world's second highest number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases -- 438,238 -- after the United States.

According to Health Ministry data, 26,417 new cases were confirmed in a 24 hour-period ending late Thursday.

In that same period Brazil experienced its third highest number of virus deaths since the start of the pandemic: 1,156, bringing the total death toll to 26,754, the sixth highest in the world.

Some experts however believe that the actual virus infection rate could be up to 15 times higher because there has been no widespread testing in Brazil.

The virus is spreading as federal and local authorities clash over health policies.

Most states have imposed partial lockdowns, but President Jair Bolsonaro wants them to end and for the economy to open quickly.

If you want to help in the fight against COVID-19, we have compiled an up-to-date list of community initiatives designed to aid medical workers and low-income people in this article. Link: [UPDATED] Anti-COVID-19 initiatives: Helping Indonesia fight the outbreak