Sao Paulo shuts down as fears grow over Brazil COVID-19 outbreak

Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populous state, on Wednesday announced tough new measures to slow a snowballing coronavirus outbreak, stoked by a stuttering inoculation drive and an infectious new variant that threatens to internationally isolate the country. The announcement, made by state governor Joao Doria, is likely to irk President Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain who shuns lockdowns and has long sought to diminish the importance of the virus.

Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populous state, on Wednesday announced tough new measures to slow a snowballing coronavirus outbreak, stoked by a stuttering inoculation drive and an infectious new variant that threatens to internationally isolate the country.

The announcement, made by state governor Joao Doria, is likely to irk President Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain who shuns lockdowns and has long sought to diminish the importance of the virus. But more states and cities are likely to follow Sao Paulo's lead as their health systems are pushed to breaking point. Starting Saturday, Sao Paulo's bars and restaurants will only operate via delivery, while malls and non-essential businesses will be shut, Doria said.

The measures are due to last two weeks, he said, adding that the state was receiving a new patient in intensive care units every two minutes. Sao Paulo city is home to some 12.3 million people, part of the 46.3 million who inhabit Sao Paulo state. The partial lockdown in Sao Paulo, the heart of Brazil's economy, highlights growing concerns about the situation in Brazil. Latin America's largest country is facing its deadliest period since the start of the pandemic due to the new, so-called P1 variant, a lack of widespread restrictions to slow the virus' path and a patchy vaccine rollout.

Brazil, which has the world's highest coronavirus death toll after the United States, is seeing daily deaths hit fresh records, just as they are falling in the United States and parts of Western Europe. International concern is also growing about the P1 variant, which arose in the northern city of Manaus, and has since been identified across the world, leading to tighter regulations on Brazilian travelers.

The domestic situation is particularly critical. Blame is increasingly landing on Bolsonaro's lap. Earlier this week, 16 Brazilian governors accused him of misleading the country. The national association of state health secretaries CONASS also criticized Brasilia, complaining of a piecemeal approach by each state and city, calling for a national curfew and the closure of airports.

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