Iconic beaches in Rio de Janeiro and Miami closed in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus

The world-famous beaches of Rio de Janeiro and Miami have been closed in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Brazil and the United States have been two of the countries most affected by COVID-19.

In Brazil, you are not allowed to visit the beach or park along the shore. This is the first time that beaches in the South American nation, like the iconic Copacabana, have been closed since their reopening in July 2020.

Military police and city guards patrol the beaches, asking anyone unaware of the new restrictions to leave.

Brazil is in the midst of an alarming spike in COVID-19 cases, with nearly 3,000 deaths per day for the first time since the start of the pandemic. The country has recorded 290,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

The party is over for spring break

In the United States, Miami Beach, Florida has instituted an emergency curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Thousands of tourists have flocked to South Beach, the party hotspot, for the traditional college spring break vacation.

The curfew came into effect immediately after the spring breakers ransacked restaurants, brawled in the streets and gathered in the thousands without masks or social distancing, authorities said.

Tourists and hotel guests are encouraged to stay indoors during curfew hours.

Florida is heavily dependent on the tourism industry, so businesses have suffered during the pandemic. They want to attract tourists to the area, but find it difficult to do so while respecting the rules of social distancing.

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