Peru passes 400,000 coronavirus cases

Peru on Wednesday passed 400,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, the health ministry said, after the largest daily increase in infections for more than six weeks.

Nearly 19,000 people have died as a result of the disease nationwide, and the country has recorded more COVID-19 cases than anywhere in Latin America except for Brazil and Mexico.

There were 204 additional deaths in the last 24 hours and 5,678 infections over the same period -- the highest daily number of new cases since June 12.

Peru began lifting a nationwide lockdown on July 1 for most regions of the country, including the capital Lima.