RIO DE JANEIRO, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's COVID-19 death toll approached 280,000 on Monday after 1,057 more people died from the disease in the past 24 hours, taking the national count to 279,286, the Ministry of Health said.

　　The ministry also reported 36,239 new cases, bringing the national count to 11,519,609.

　　Currently, the country has an average of 133 deaths and 5,482 cases of infection per 100,000 inhabitants, said the ministry.