The number of reported Covid-19 deaths in Latin America has passed 250,000, as the virus afflicts the region that has become the worst hit in the world.
The grim milestone was passed as Brazil reported 1,204 deaths from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, according to the health ministry.
Over the past week, the region has reported more than 3,000 deaths a day. According to a Reuters tally, daily caseloads continue to rise in Peru, Colombia and Argentina.
Brazil is battling the world's second largest outbreak, behind only the United States, with the virus killing more than 112,000 people in Latin America's largest nation.
The continent has a population of more than 646 million according to the World Bank compared with the 330 million in the United States, which has recorded more than 173,000 coronavirus deaths, according to the Reuters tally.
Mexico, which has the third highest death toll in the world, reported 6,775 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and 625 additional fatalities, bringing the total to 543,806 cases and 59,106 deaths.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has drawn sharp criticism from health experts for his handling of the crisis. He has downplayed the gravity of the virus, dismissed the need for social distancing and urged businesses to reopen.
There are, however, small signs the worst may be over for the current outbreak in Brazil, with the health ministry saying on Wednesday that the spread of coronavirus could be about to slow.
Neighbouring Argentina posted a daily record 8,225 confirmed cases yesterday as it struggles to slow the spread of the virus after easing lockdown restrictions.
The country now has a total of 320,884 cases and 6,517 fatalities, health ministry data show.
New Zealand defers lockdown decision as it reports new Covid-19 cases
New Zealand has reported 11 new cases of coronavirus, and put off a decision about easing restrictions in its biggest city of Auckland to next week.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she would announce on Monday whether the government would ease alert level 3 restrictions enforced in Auckland, and level 2 measures in the rest of the country.
Of the new COVID-19 cases, nine were in the community while two were imported
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Beijing says residents can go mask-free as cases hit new lows
Health authorities in China's capital Beijing have removed a requirement for people to wear masks outdoors, further relaxing rules aimed at preventing the spread the novel coronavirus after the city reported 13 consecutive days without new cases.
Despite the relaxed guidelines, a large proportion of people continued to wear masks in Beijing today.
Some said the mask made them feel safe, while others said social pressures to wear the masks were also a factor.
It's the second time Beijing's health authorities have relaxed guidelines on mask wearing in the capital, which has largely returned to normal after two rounds of lockdowns brought it to a standstill.
Beijing's municipal Centers for Disease Control first said residents could go without masks in outdoor areas in late April, though the rules were swiftly reversed in June after a new outbreak in a large wholesale market in the city's south.
China has reported no new locally transmitted cases on the mainland for five days after successfully controlling flare ups in the capital, Xinjiang and elsewhere.
Experts say the key to the country's success in controlling the disease has been the strict enforcement of local rules, including wearing masks, mandatory home quarantine and participating in mass testing.
Authorities reported 22 imported cases in the mainland for yesterday, and has closed its borders to most non-Chinese citizens.
The country has reported a total of 84,917 cases since the outbreak began.
