Rio mayor announces more COVID restrictions

Rio de Janeiro's mayor Eduardo Paes announced more restrictions Monday, as COVID-19 related hospitalisations rose in the city.

From March 26th to April 4th, only essential services will be allowed to operate.

Paes and mayor of neighbouring city of Niteroi Axel Grael had a meeting with a scientific committee Monday morning to decide the new restrictions.

Both cities are adopting similar measures, as many residents commute from one city to the other daily, making it pointless to have only one with stricter restrictions.

Schools, shopping centres, clubs, museums and sporting events are not allowed to operate.

Restaurants and bars are allowed to open for delivery and take-out only.

Only shops considered essential, like pharmacies, car repairs, pet shops, building supplies and supermarkets can open.

Rio de Janeiro City and Niteroi belong to Rio de Janeiro State.

Paes and Grael failed to reach an agreement on Sunday with state governor Claudio Castro, who is against closing business and other more severe restrictions.

The nation had an average of 2,235 deaths a day last week – the highest since the beginning of the pandemic.

So far, nearly 295,000 people have died, the second largest tally in the world after the United States, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.