Hard-hit Brazil is opening its borders to foreign visitors arriving by air, even though the number of deaths and infections continues to rise.
Brazil hopes that opening international air traffic will revive the country's hard-hit tourism industry, which is estimated to have lost revenue equivalent to around SEK 200 billion during the pandemic.
However, according to the new rules, tourists are not allowed to stay longer than 90 days and must have health insurance that covers the costs of any treatment in Brazil.
The entry ban was introduced four months ago to curb the spread of Covid-19 – and while it is now being lifted for air travelers, it is being extended for another 30 days for foreign visitors arriving by land or sea, the government announces.
The partial opening of the border coincides with Brazil noting two grim records on Wednesday: firstly in the number of confirmed cases of corona infection in one day – 70,074 – and secondly in the number of deaths from covid-19 in 24 hours – 1,595.
In total, Brazil has registered more than 2.5 million cases of infection, including 90,134 deaths, since the pandemic reached the country, according to figures from the health ministry. In absolute terms, the country is the second worst-hit in the world, after the United States.
