Brazil topped four million Covid-19 cases as health ministry officials said infections were beginning to slow in the world's second worst-hit country.

There were almost 44,000 new cases over the previous 24 hours, and 834 fatalities.

The health ministry said the number of infections were slightly reducing in recent days, amid hopes that the pandemic had peaked following months when the daily average of deaths was over 1,000.

Since the end of August, Brazil has averaged around 870 Covid-19 fatalities with 40,000 new infections a day, according to AFP.