Brazilian City Belo Horizonte Decrees Lockdown Starting Monday

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Mayor Alexandre Kalil said that the capital of Minas Gerais state, the sixth largest city of Brazil, reached “the limit of Covid-19” and that, after a government meeting, he was directed to issue a decree closing all non-essential services in the city. “On Friday, [January 8th] the decree will be published, and on Monday the city will be closed,” reported the Mayor.

“We have reached red. Businesses must prepare themselves, because on Friday we will be issuing a decree returning the city to square one. These are impressive numbers, there was a surprising increase of the disease. We have cases of whole families, which spent Christmas together, infected and hospitalized,” he added.

According to Kalil, the only non-essential venues still in operation will be public squares and the zoo, which will have scheduled visits. “I’m sorry, but governing is not pleasing. We had a long meeting today, I was oriented. With the exception of public squares and the zoo, the city will have essential services open and everything else will be closed,” concluded Kalil.

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