Will major Brazilian cities need to go into full lockdown?

Experts have shown concern that cities such as Rio de Janeiro and especially São Paulo could need to adopt more drastic social isolation measures — including a full-scale lockdown. However, physicians say there is not enough data about the path of the virus in Brazil — as a study produced by the Open Knowledge Society in Brazil and published by The Brazilian Report — showed.

Just before the Easter holiday, São Paulo Governor João Doria has urged citizens to follow isolation guidelines, threatening to fine and even arrest non-compliant people. According to Mr. Doria, at least 60 percent of people must restrict their movement for the quarantine to work and contain the coronavirus. If necessary, Mr. Doria said São Paulo City Hall could pass a forceful lockdown.

In our April 8 Daily Briefing (for premium subscribers), we explained the Health Ministry’s plan to relax isolation measures — and the risks of the move.

In the following chart, you can observe the progression of Covid-19 in all 27 Brazilian states. Use the search bar to narrow down the number of lines for better visualization. Also, you should bear in mind that, according to most — if not all — experts, the real number of cases is much higher than those reported, due to a lack of extensive testing and a natural delay in confirming cases (especially in deceased patients).

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