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The Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, the largest city in South America, will allow cinemas, theaters, museums, and other cultural spaces to reopen starting on Saturday, as cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as well as hospital occupancy have declined, authorities announced on Friday.

The new measure will allow for the reopening of cinemas, theaters, and cultural venues with restrictions, and also the extension of the hours that bars, restaurants, and shops may remain open.

The announcement came after the return to face-to-face classes in public and private schools, with 35 percent occupancy and sanitary protocols in force.

Shopping centers will also be allowed to increase the number of visitors permitted, and amusement parks have also been authorized to reopen with occupancy limitations.

Sao Paulo, located in the south of the country, is where the first case of COVID-19 in Latin America was detected on Feb. 26.

Sao Paulo entered quarantine on March 24, and to date, the state of Sao Paulo has accounted for approximately a quarter of the cases and deaths from the virus in Brazil.