Source::Xinhuanet
SAO PAULO,
The Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro announced the closure of its beaches over the weekend as part of restrictions to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, amid a widespread collapse of Brazil's health system. According to the Municipal Health Secretariat, 95 percent of intensive care unit beds in public and private hospitals were occupied this week in the country's second most populous city.
"Either we become aware of what's happening or we're going to have a situation that's out of control in the coming days. It's a tough measure and we understand the economic difficulties involved," said Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes on Friday during a press conference to explain the decree.
Brazil's tourist capital on Saturday and Sunday will block entrance to tourist area hotel buses and to its famous beaches, although bars in the coastal area will remain open. Weekend recreational activities will also be suspended in Flamengo Park in front of Sugarloaf Mountain, one of the city's main attractions.
In addition, Paes said he will speak with other municipal heads next week to determine other joint restrictions, such as bringing forward holidays to drastically reduce commercial activity, something the city of Sao Paulo will be implementing from March 26 to April 5.
Rio de Janeiro, capital of the state of the same name, currently has an accumulated 216,413 COVID-19 cases and 19,583 deaths. As of Thursday, Brazil reported a national total of 11,780,820 cases and 287,499 deaths, making it second in both cases and deaths worldwide, only behind the United States.
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