RIO DE JANEIRO, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Brazil on Sunday said its nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 514,84 after 16,409 people tested positive in the past 24 hours, while the death toll neared 30,000.

The death toll rose to 29,314 after 480 deaths had been reported since Saturday, while another 4,208 deaths are still being investigated for any linkage with COVID-19, the Ministry of Health said.

The number of recoveries from COVID-19 totalled 206,555, the ministry added.

Southeast Sao Paulo state continues to be the epicenter of the national outbreak, with 7,615 deaths and 109,698 infections, followed by Rio de Janeiro with 5,344 deaths and 53,388 infections.