The Brazilian capital Brasilia will undergo a 24-year closure on Saturday as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations increase, Reuters reported.
Why it matters: Hospitals in Brasilia, the third largest city in Brazil, have struggled to keep up with hospitalizations due to the virus. According to Reuters, more than 80% of the intensive care units in the city are occupied.
Details: Shops, pharmacies, petrol stations, churches and funeral homes will remain open because they are considered essential services, but according to Reuters all other services will be closed.
- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who lives and works in Brasilia, on Friday threatened to impose federal funding on blocking states, saying it was destroying jobs.
The whole picture: ICU beds in the capitals of 17 of Brazil’s 26 states have reached their all-time high this week since the pandemic began a year ago, according to Reuters.
- Brazil has reported 1,337 deaths from the virus in the past 24 hours to 65,169 new cases.
- In total, the virus has killed more than 252,830 people in Brazil, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.