What Spike in Deaths? Brazil's Beaches Packed as COVID-19 Fatalities Continue to Climb - Photos

09:27 GMT, 7 September 2020

Brazil has enjoyed a long weekend, as 7 September marks Independence Day, a national holiday. This, coupled with eased restrictions in some parts of the country, prompted Brazilians to make use of their free time and hit pubs and beaches. However, this comes as Brazil has experienced a weekly increase of over 4,000 COVID-related deaths.

Sputnik

Brazilians packed beaches and pubs over the weekend, despite the growing number of coronavirus cases and a weekly spike in COVID-related deaths.

People swarmed public places as the country is celebrating its Independence Day.

What Spike in Deaths? Brazil's Beaches Packed as COVID-19 Fatalities Continue to Climb - Photos

Additionally, two major Brazilian cities, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, announced measures to ease coronavirus restrictions, such as re-opening beaches, restaurants, and pubs.

What Spike in Deaths? Brazil's Beaches Packed as COVID-19 Fatalities Continue to Climb - Photos

More than 14,500 new coronavirus cases and over 440 new deaths from COVID-19 were confirmed in Brazil in the past 24 hours. On Saturday, Brazil’s Health Ministry reported that the death toll had surpassed 125,000.

A week ago, Brazil’s COVID-19 death toll surpassed 120,800. Thus the country has seen a weekly increase of about 4,200 coronavirus-related deaths.

Brazil has the second-highest coronavirus death toll of all countries in the world and is third in terms of the total number of confirmed cases, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.