Clowns wearing face masks pose for a picture before performing in Lima, Peru on Monday during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: AFP

Latin America and the Caribbean on Monday surpassed 5 million coronavirus cases, according to an AFP tally, more than half of which have been registered in Brazil.

Alongside the cases, there have been more than 200,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the region.

Brazil, a country of 210 million, has recorded 2.75 million infections and more than 94,000 deaths.

Only the US with 4.8 million cases and almost 155,000 deaths has been worse affected than the South American giant.

The second worst affected country with coronavirus in the region is Peru with about 433,000 cases and more than 19,600 deaths.

Peru, which a month ago began a gradual easing of lockdown restrictions in 17 of its 25 regions to kick start its ravaged economy, has seen a "significant" second wave of cases, the government said.

Bus and air travel have resumed, since when the number of daily cases has almost doubled from around 3,300 to 6,300, according to official figures.

Worldwide more than 18 million have contracted the virus and 680,000 have died of COVID-19.

AFP