The annual New Year's Eve celebrations which traditionally see millions of people gathered on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro have been cancelled this year as Brazil grapples with surging coronavirus infections.
City authorities said the celebrations were "not viable in this pandemic scenario, without a vaccine." In a statement, Rio's tourism office also noted that the world-famous Carnival celebrations, normally set for February, might also have to be called off.
Instead, a virtual New Year's celebration is being planned. One official was quoted as saying: "There is no great reason to celebrate, with more than 80,000 deaths," from coronavirus in Brazil.