Brazil beaches, pubs packed as virus cases climb

Brazilians packed beaches and bars this weekend, taking vant of a long holiday weekend to indulge in rmal life, even as infection numbers continue to climb in country.

Authorities in Rio De Janeiro and São Paulo have recently eased restrictions, opening beaches and allowing for restaurants and bars to offer reduced service, bowing to public pressure to allow some form of rmal life to return after months of pandemic driven shutdown of services.

São Paulo's Goverr João Doria warned emergency is t over however, appealing to young people, who he says are driving infection numbers up, to be responsible and abide by social distancing rules and mask wearing.

Tens of thousands of Rio and São Paulo residents swarmed nearby beaches under sunny skies and mild temperatures, packing sand and water in scenes t seen since pandemic struck March.

Many said y remain wary of danger of contagion, but after months of isolation and restrictions, have grown weary of life under quarantine and needed a welcome break.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has encourd citizens to igre restrictions and live ir lives rmally, even though country has second highest numbers of infected people in world, with 3.9 million infected to date and 121,000 deaths, according to Brazilian Health Ministry.