Brazil's Health Ministry announced Thursday that the number of H1N1 flu deaths in 2016 in the country stood at 1,121, a new high since 2009 when the disease broke out globally.

The death figure skyrocketed from 2015, when Brazil registered 36 deaths from H1N1 flu in the entire year. Although authorities voiced concern about the rise, there was no clear explanation on the reason for the higher number.

According to the ministry, Brazil registered 5,871 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) cases in 2016. SARS can be a complication of the infection by H1N1 flu.

This year, deaths from H1N1 flu were reported in 22 out of the country's 27 states, with the southeastern and southern regions seeing the highest casualty numbers, at 594 and 286, respectively.

Sao Paulo state, the most populated in the country, led the states with 475 deaths, while Rio de Janeiro state, which will host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in five weeks, registered 46 deaths.