201020 Argentina
File picture: Jimena Aballe directs her neighbours as they disinfect their own streets in the Villa 31 neighbourhood to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Buenos Aires, Argentina in May 2020.. Image Credit: AP

Buenos Aires: Argentina has become the fifth country in the world to exceed one million coronavirus cases, its health ministry said on Monday, making it the smallest nation by far to reach the grim milestone after infections accelerated in recent weeks.

There were 1,002,662 confirmed cases of the virus in the South American country by Monday night, the ministry said in a statement.

In the past 24 hours, there were 12,982 new cases reported and 451 more deaths, it added.