SAO PAULO, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's largest city of Sao Paulo canceled Carnival street parades following an increase in infections and hospitalizations due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, Mayor Ricardo Nunes announced Thursday.
"We have decided to cancel the street Carnival as a result of the epidemiological situation," Nunes said at a press conference.
The decision impacts neighborhood bands that traditionally parade through the streets at Carnival time, which draws 10 million to 15 million revelers each February for Brazil's most popular annual celebration.
Nunes said the Carnival highlight, the parade of samba school floats at the city's Sambodrome, will take place as planned at the end of February, since it will be easier to apply sanitary and social distancing measures at the venue.
In the last 10 days, COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen by 30 percent in Sao Paulo, following Christmas and New Year's celebrations and social gatherings, according to local health authorities.
Other Brazilian cities have also canceled Carnival street parades, including Rio de Janeiro, Salvador de Bahia, Fortaleza and Recife. ■
