Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro wears a face mask during a press conference on the coronavirus pandemic COVID-19 at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil on Friday. Photo: AFP

 
The Brazilian government announced on Friday the number of deaths of COVID-19 in the country had reached 1,056, and the number of confirmed cases had increased to 19,638, with a fatality rate of 5.4 percent.

The Ministry of Health stated that in the last 24 hours there had been an increase of 12 percent in the number of deaths and a 10 percent increase in positive cases.

The state of Sao Paulo, the wealthiest and most populous in the country, has been the region most heavily affected by the virus, with 540 deaths and 8,216 confirmed cases, followed by Rio de Janeiro, with 147 deaths and 2,464 cases, and Ceara, with 58 deaths and 1,478 cases.

Despite the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), recently there has been an increase in the number of people on the streets, according to the technology company In Loco, which analyzes and utilizes data sent by mobile phone applications.

According to the company's figures, all Brazilian states recorded an increase in the number of people on the streets in recent days compared to previous weeks.