Carnival
(Photo : Reuters/Pilar Olivares)

City officials in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil are preparing for the annual celebration of Carnival amid threats of coronavirus. 

Rio de Janeiro receives over one million visitors annually. This year's Carnival is worrying people due to the continued threats of the deadly Coronavirus.

Carnival, which falls on the 21st until the 26th of February sees nearly seven million attendees. Officials have been busy training health workers and setting up "contingency plans" on how to identify possible carriers and how to contain the threat. 

Patricia Guttman, a municipal health official, voices her concern over the mass of people expected to arrive from all over the world to attend the festivity. 

"It's worrying because there a lot of people moving around and a lot of tourists coming into the country from all parts of the world," she told Reuters. 

120 hospital beds have been freed up to be used for suspected coronavirus patients. 

To date, there have been no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in South America. Thirty-four Brazilians who were evacuated from the epicenter of the virus outbreak in China are currently being held in quarantine at a military base.

Health workers from Rio de Janerio received training on Wednesday. They were taught how to properly identify a potential carrier of the virus. They were also trained to apply face masks to potential patients while wearing protective plastic suits to protect themselves. 

City officials from Rio de Janeiro insist they are fully prepared for Carnival.

What is Carnival?

Carnival is a festivity in Brazil which is also called "The Greatest Show on Earth."

The festival begins on a Friday and lasts until Tuesday, a day away from Ash Wednesday. 

Carnival used to be celebrated on the streets with samba performances until 1984 when the construction of Sambodromo finished. 

The Sambrodomo can seat up to 90,000 people at a time and stretches nearly 700 meters. The Marques de Sapucai Avenue can also accommodate 5,000 participants.

Carnival is an illustration of the rich samba culture of Brazil. Top samba schools are given the honor of performing in front of millions of people at the Sambrodomo. 

A panel of 40 judges presides over the festival as they watch every movement and every sequin and thread of the performers.

The champion is announced on Ash Wednesday. 

Samba is known for being an exotic and sensual dance. The colorful costumes form a part of a story. The preparation of costumes takes performers months.

Samba schools were formerly street bands that developed into groups, and then clubs, and then associations before they became schools. Samba schools help support poor sectors in its surrounding area, thus creating a close relationship with its host community. 

Samba schools are a source of labor and income for some. Labor jobs such as building floats, sewing costumes, and ensuring the safety of the dancers are some of the tasks offered. 

Carnival bring in flocks of tourists yearly. It is a multi-million dollar industry. Festival-goers come in hoards and are known to dance along with the participants. They are also encouraged to bring their own garb to fully immerse themselves in the spirit of Carnival.