Rocinha favela in Rio under disinfection

Cleaning workers sanitized the streets of Rocinha, one of the largest favelas of Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, in an attempt to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

In addition to the cleaning, one of the major challenges for local authorities and groups working in the slum, is to convince people to stay at home.

Dozens were walking in the streets before and after the municipality workers left, and even when the cleaning was welcome, some complained that it should have been done before the outbreak.

Rocinha, home to about 70,000 people as of the latest census, is an impoverished are with poor sanitizing conditions and a high incidence of tuberculosis.

This measure came days after the Rocinha's residents asked the government to ban foreigners from the favela, due to fears of an increased spread of the virus.

The outbreak has killed more than 954 people in Brazil and infected more than 18,000, but has also had a huge impact on the economy of the country.

Rio de Janeiro's stately Copacabana Palace Hotel, a landmark in the city, will close its doors temporarily on Friday for the first time since its inauguration 96 years ago as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

Authorities in Rio imposed a series of restrictions on transit, gatherings and business operations, including bans at beaches, but did not shutter hotels.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.