Rio’s Beaches and Malls Busy Again; State Police Remove Sunbathers in South Zone

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Saturday morning, June 13th, started with activity on Rio’s beaches and by 11:45 AM, people were waiting to visit the city’s shopping malls, which have been reopened. Just before opening, footage shows several people in a line outside Shopping Tijuca in the North Zone.

In the early afternoon, State Police officers intensified policing and removed bathers from the sands of Leblon Beach, in the South Zone.

On Thursday, June 11th, Rio’s City Hall authorized the reopening of some shopping malls with restricted hours and several rules. On June 2nd, a decree relaxed the city’s isolation measures.

According to the new rules, Rio’s residents may go to the beaches exclusively for physical activities, such as surfing and stand up paddle. However, permanence on the sand is still banned. These rules failed to be observed on the beaches since then.

Since last weekend, several beaches in the city have seen intense flow on the shore and many people on the boardwalks.

According to experts, despite the relaxation, the population must continue to take preventive measures due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

By Friday, June 12th, Rio de Janeiro state had recorded 7,417 deaths and 77,784 confirmed cases of Covid-19. In the capital Rio de Janeiro, the number of deaths from the disease reached 4,877.

Source: G1