Rio de Janeiro cancels NYE party due to omicron fears

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Rio de Janeiro has canceled its New Year’s Eve party due to renewed COVID-19 fears. Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes announced the decision on social media on Saturday. Paes had previously promised the biggest New Year’s Eve party ever, with multiple firework displays and artists performing on a dozen stages across the city. He said there is no decision about Carnival taking place in March. The yearly celebration on Copacabana beach has in the past gathered more than one million locals and tourists. Other Brazilian cities, including Sao Paulo and Salvador, have also canceled New Year’s Eve celebrations due to fears of the omicron variant.