The previous record was registered on January 26th with 224,567 positive Sar Cov-2. | Photo: EFE​​

Brasilia, January 28 (RHC)-- Brazil reports the highest number of Sar Cov-2 positives since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 228,954 new cases, attributed, among other factors, to the new Omicron variant.

According to figures provided by the National Council of Health Secretaries (Conass), 672 people died in 24 hours in the country, which surpassed the 625,000 deaths associated with the coronavirus during the course of the pandemic.  The previous record was registered on Wednesday, January 26th, with 224,567 positive for Sar Cov-2 .

Since March 2020, the total number of positive cases in the South American nation reached 27,764,838 infections and 625,85 deaths have been reported, according to data released by Conass.

The health entity also confirmed that the moving average of cases, which diagnoses the last seven days, reached a record high for the tenth consecutive day, with 168,514 infections, while the moving average of deaths increased to 411.

Local media reported that several authorities and health institutions warned that the figures could be even higher due to the lack of large-scale testing and underreporting by the Ministry of Health.

Brazil's Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) reported on Wednesday that seven Brazilian states had 80 percent of their Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds occupied.