Revelers participate in the celebration of the street carnival of Bloco do Caixao on Tuesday in Ouro Preto, Brazil. Photo: Pedro Vilela/Getty Images
Brazil's health ministry confirmed the first novel coronavirus case in Latin America Wednesday — a 61-year-old that tested positive after returning from a visit to northern Italy, the epicenter of Europe's outbreak.
Why it matters: The case comes in the midst of Carnival, a peak time for domestic travel that draws millions of revelers in major cities. Brazil is tracking 20 suspected cases of the virus in the country, according to health officials.