Rio de Janeiro cancels New Year's Eve festivities over virus
Source: Agence France-Presse
Issued on: 25/07/2020 - 21:02
Modified: 25/07/2020 - 21:00
Rio de Janeiro (AFP)
The annual New Year's Eve celebrations which traditionally see millions of people gathered on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro have been canceled this year as Brazil grapples with surging coronavirus infections, city authorities said.
The celebrations are "not viable in this pandemic scenario, without a vaccine," the city's tourism office said in a statement, noting that the world-famous Carnival celebrations, normally set for February, might also have to be canceled.
Instead, a virtual New Year's celebration was being planned.
"There is no great reason to celebrate, with more than 80,000 deaths" from coronavirus in Brazil, an official told AFP.
The state of Rio de Janeiro has counted the second highest number of deaths from coronavirus in Brazil, after Sao Paulo, and its death rate far exceeds the national average.
Read more: https://www.france24.com/en/20200725-rio-de-janeiro-cancels-new-year-s-eve-festivities-over-virus
peacebuzzard
(5,184 posts)This pandemic has throttled Brazil.
The COVID case/death count is much higher; Brazil has a history of under-reporting previous pandemics.
Unfortunately this unreliable data is because of an underfunded public health system. Politically, Brazil is in chaos and multiple experienced health ministers were convinced to exit their posts. The Brazilian health system is in disarray.
The governor of the state of Rio issued a statement postponing the pre-Lent giant mega show of carnival a day or so ago. (O Globo) The article I read has carnival projected perhaps to June/July 2021. No set date at this time.
appleannie1
(5,077 posts)Initech
(100,139 posts)A lot of the US far right helped Brazil's far right turn their election toward Bolsonaro. Well, this is what they get for that.