Brazil now has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world after US

Brazil has become the country with the second most coronavirus cases worldwide after the United States.

The country’s health ministry reported 20,803 new cases on Friday, bringing the total to 330,890 confirmed cases.

Brazil’s cases have surpassed the number in Russia, where health officials more recently reported 326,448 cases.

More than 1.5 million cases have been reported in the US, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Last week, Sao Paulo’s mayor warned that its health system could be overwhelmed very soon if residents don’t follow social distancing guidelines. Officials in the city of 12 million have declared a five-day holiday in a bid to get residents to stay home.

But President Jair Bolsonaro continues to dismiss the threat of the virus, saying quarantines and lockdowns could have a worse impact on Brazil’s economy.