(MENAFN) Thirteen cities in Brazil's southeast state of Sao Paulo declared five-day complete lockdowns beginning Wednesday to limit cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which has contributed to the closure of local hospitals.
The announcement came as Sao Paulo state, Brazil's pandemic epicenter, crossed 90 percent hospital capacity, with more than 20 hospitals overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients and regular deaths hitting a record high in March.
"We cannot cope with more beds," Edinho Araujo, mayor of Sao Jose do Rio Preto, one of the cities that spearheaded the complete lockdown policy, told reporters at a press conference.
The city of Ribeirao Preto, a major productive centre in Brazil, has also declared a complete lockout, including the idling of mass transit services and the closure of stores to the general public.
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