Coronavirus

Governor imposes curfew in Manaus to curb Covid-19

manaus lockdown curfew
Ponta Negra, Manaus, in March 2020 — when the city went into lockdown mode. Photo: Marcio James/Semcom/AM

Following a second coronavirus-led collapse in the local healthcare network, the city of Manaus will be placed under a strict curfew over the next few days.

Governor Wilson Lima is set to issue a decree forbidding people to circulate on the city’s streets between 7 pm and 6 am — during which all non-essential businesses must remain closed. 

Public transportation will also be suspended in roads and rivers, and even pharmacies will not be allowed to admit customers on their premises, functioning on a strictly delivery-only basis. Only essential workers will be allowed to circulate during curfew hours. 

Manaus is grappling with a spike in Covid-19 cases that has led to a collapse in the local health system, with deaths increasing by 183 percent over the past seven days. Besides the lack of beds, state hospitals ran out of oxygen after demand reached 70,000 cubic meters per day, or 2.5 times the peak of last year. In an attempt to diminish the overload, the local administration also transferred 235 patients to six neighboring states.

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