This archive report was first published on 12 July 2020.
On July 12, 2020, a major football derby in southern Brazil was cancelled just hours before kick-off due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
The match between Chapecoense and Avai was scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 12, but was called off by the state's Health Secretariat after 14 players from one of the teams tested positive for the virus.
The Santa Catarina state championship had restarted on July 8 with four games, including Chapecoense's 2-0 home win over Avai.
The decision to cancel the match was made to prevent the spread of the virus, with the Health Secretariat stating that it was necessary for all players to follow protective measures.
Santa Catarina state has recorded 42,026 cases of the new coronavirus, with 485 deaths, and Brazil has seen a total of 71,469 deaths, making it the country with the highest number of deaths outside the United States.
