Court Orders Closing of Non-essential Activities for 15 Days in Brazil´s Amazonas State

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Amazonas Court of Justice has ordered the state government to suspend non-essential activities for 15 days. The decision came on Saturday, January 2nd, by request of the MP-AM (Amazonas Prosecutor’s Office). Authorities will also be forced to implement measures to contain crowds in essential establishments to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

The ruling also demands that, after 15 days, the administrative decision to release social interaction be based on the Risk Assessment report provided by the Health Surveillance Foundation, as well as providing wide disclosure of waiting lines of patients for hospitalization.

The state of Amazonas has recorded over 5,300 deaths and 201,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19. In total, 82,811 cases are in Manaus (41.02%) and 119,056 in the interior of the state (58.98%).

In the ruling, Judge Leoney Figliuolo Harraquian calls for the use of police force to “preserve public order”. Moreover, the government must still issue a daily statement in the media to explain the measures to the population.

The document also includes the installation of new ICU beds in sufficient numbers to treat patients infected with Covid-19, as well as patients on the waiting list.

Failure to comply with the ruling will result in a R$50,000 daily fine to be imposed on the state Governor.