Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro's government announced the reopening of its country's borders to foreign visitors arriving by plane, despite the high numbers of COVID-19 cases.

The government took the decision to open-air borders for visitors from abroad the day when Brazil registered a record of contagions, detecting 72,377 positive cases.

"The arrival of visitors by air will no longer be prohibited" Bolsonaro's decree states. However, the prohibition of entry by land or sea was extended for another 30 days.

Besides having an entry visa, tourists must present to the airline staff their medical insurance, which must remain valid during their entire stay in Brazil.

Entry restriction remains in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraíba, Rondonia, Rio Grande do Sul, and Tocantins.

Brazil closed its air borders on March 30, when the pandemic had just arrived in South America.

The National Council of Health Secretaries (CONASS) confirmed another 1,664 deaths from the disease over the last 24 hours.

As of Thursday morning, Brazil had reported 2,556,207 COVID-19 cases and 90,212 deaths.