A staff member disinfects the ground at the Clinicas Hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, March 24, 2020. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua)

The Brazilian Ministry of Health said Saturday that the country registered 68 deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 1,124.

Brazil has the highest number of deaths and cases in Latin America, with a mortality rate of 5.4 percent, according to the ministry.

In the last few hours, 1,089 new cases have been registered, bring the count to 20,727.

The infections are concentrated in Sao Paulo with 8,419 cases and 560 deaths, followed by Rio de Janeiro, Ceara, Amazonas, and Pernambuco.

Brazilian authorities confirmed the first case on February 26 and the first death on March 17.