Schools in Brazil face disruptions from disease and smoke

Educational activities in parts of Brazil are facing disruptions due to health and environmental concerns. In Porangaba, the ‘João Guilherme Soares Bertin’ daycare center is scheduled to reopen on Monday (19) following a temporary suspension caused by an outbreak of hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Local authorities reported that no new cases have been identified since the closure, though they advise that children with medical certificates remain at home.

In Manaus, municipal and state school networks have extended the suspension of in-person classes due to poor air quality caused by smoke. Data from the Executive Secretariat for Protection and Civil Defense (Sepdec) indicated that air quality reached ‘terrible’ levels, with fine particulate matter concentrations hitting 150.5 µg/m³. The smoke, driven by heat spots in the interior of Amazonas, has also led to the suspension of state schools in Autazes and Nova Olinda do Norte.