The death toll caused by yellow fever in Brazil has surpassed 200, mainly in the southeastern states, said the Brazilian government on Friday, according to China's Xinhua news agency.

Since an outbreak in December 2016, yellow fever has killed 202 people, 148 of whom were in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, said the Health Ministry.

The states of Espirito Santo, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro also have yellow fever deaths.

Health authorities have distributed over 20 million doses of vaccine to fight the largest outbreak of yellow fever in decades.

-- BERNAMA