Backstreet Boys and The Offspring cancel their concerts in Brazil on COVID-19

The American bands Backstreet Boys, The Offspring and Pennywise were forced to cancel their respective presentations in Brazil, after the authorities of the South American country adopted various measures to slow down the advance of the coronavirus.

The producer Live Nation Brasil, responsible for the Backstreet Boys concert, announced in a statement that the concert that would take place this Sunday was postponed due to “recent restrictions recommended” by the Governor of the state of Sao Paulo, Joao Doria.

“The safety and well-being of our fans, officials and of all people are always our top priorities. We regret the disappointment of the fans,” he said.

Doria determined the day before that all schools in the public and private network in São Paulo should be closed gradually starting Monday, and stated that “sporting, musical and other events with an audience of more than 500 people will be suspended.”

In addition to Backstreet Boys, rock groups The Offspring and Pennywise, who were due to play in four Brazilian cities between March 17 and 22, have also suspended their joint tour at the South American giant.

According to the organizers, the measure was adopted “in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic” and in compliance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health, seeking “to guarantee the safety and preservation of the population’s health.”

The cancellations of these concerts are added to a series of sports, political and cultural events that have already been suspended or postponed throughout the country, especially in the city of Sao Paulo, the most populous in Brazil and where some 12 million people live. .

In the face of the sudden spread of the coronavirus, the authorities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, the two states with the highest number of confirmed cases, were the first to announce measures to prevent the spread of the disease, including the suspension of classes in schools and public events.

At least nine other of Brazil’s 27 states have already taken similar precautions to slow the advance of COVID-19.

According to the latest bulletin released this Saturday by the Ministry of Health, the South American country has so far registered 121 confirmed cases of the disease, of which 65 were detected in the state of Sao Paulo and 22 in Rio de Janeiro.

Health authorities are investigating 1,496 other suspected cases, and so far there have been no deaths from the disease.

Among the confirmed cases of COVID-19 are the press chief of the Presidency, Fabio Wajngarten, and at least five other people who accompanied the Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, on a visit to the United States. four days and that was full of events, including a dinner with the President of the United States, Donald Trump.

On Friday, Bolsonaro announced that he has tested negative for the disease, while, a day later, Trump reported that he was tested for the coronavirus and is awaiting the results.