Brasilia, Dec 12 (IANS): Brazil's coronavirus death toll has increased to 180,437 after 672 more fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health said.

According to the Ministry, 54,428 new cases were also reported on Friday which the national infection tally to 6,836,227, reports Xinhua news agency.

With the two new tallies, Brazil currently accounts for the world's second highest death toll after the US, and the third highest caseload after the US and India.

Sao Paulo, the most-affected state in the country, has imposed new lockdown measures which will come into effect from Saturday until January 12, 2021 to prevent night-time crowds as the Christmas and New Year holiday season approach.

The government of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul decreed that for 15 days starting from Monday, a night curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. will be imposed to avoid more infections or the collapse of the hospital system.

A total of 21 states plus the Federal District of Brasilia have been experiencing an upward trend in confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths since the second week of November.

During a visit to Goiania, capital of the state of Goias, Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello said: "The pandemic has not ended. We will have to live with it. We will be close to normality when we have vaccines to fight the disease."

When it comes to the future vaccination policy for 2021, which has not yet been launched, "no state or Brazilian will be treated differently", the Minister added.