Brazil's official coronavirus death toll passes Italy

Gravediggers wearing protective suits bury the coffin of 48-years-old Jose Soares, who died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Sao Luiz cemetery, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, June 4, 2020. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

Brazil's total COVID-19 death toll blew past that of Italy on Thursday, as the Health Ministry reported 1,437 deaths in the last 24 hours and 30,925 additional coronavirus cases.

The Latin American nation has now reported 34,021 deaths from the coronavirus, trailing only the United States and the United Kingdom.

(Reporting by Gram Slattery and Pedro Fonseca; Editing by Sandra Maler)