Thousands of dancers wearing elaborate bikini costumes - and often little more - have capped Brazil's Carnival celebrations by tossing aside fears of the Zika virus and hosting a wild two-day party.
They strutted into the final round of the Rio Carnival's samba championship today, as the six last samba schools were preening feather headdresses and adjusting their G-strings and other tiny garments favored by lead dancers ahead of tonight's all-night parades.
The performances mark the two-day climax of a Carnival season estimated to attract five million people. The champion samba school will be announced on Wednesday, closing the self-declared 'greatest show on Earth'.
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A woman wearing a spectacular blue feather head dress, from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school, performs in the Sambadrome
A woman wearing a huge yellow and green costume stands on a float of a giant face during the spectacular parade
The Mocidade de Padre Miguel samba school's display this year featured dancers dressed in what appeared to be an ancient Aztec theme
Brazilian model Raisa de Oliveira, from the Beija-Flor samba school, dances during the first of two nights in the Sambadrome in Rio
The spectacular parade sees an estimated five million people take part or watch the festivities across Brazil
A woman from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school dances in little more than a pair of fabric wings and a bikini
Some 70,000 fans cheered, sang and shook their hips overnight Sunday to Monday in the stands of Rio's purpose-built dancing stadium
Wearing a jewel-coated crown and custom-made sceptre, another performer pulls a funny face as they dance through the stadium
Dancers wearing flowing featherhead dresses dance their way through the Sambadrome, in Bazil's Rio de Janeiro
A woman wearing a tiny costume appears unfazed at the threat of the mosquito-borne Zika virus during the festivities
Some 70,000 fans cheered, sang and shook their hips overnight Sunday to Monday in the stands of Rio's purpose-built dancing stadium, the Sambadrome, as competing samba schools passed in a blur of feathers, glitter and flesh.
Extraordinary floats rolled down the runway, including a giant rat representing the 10.7 percent inflation hurting ordinary Brazilians in a sickly economy. Another float in the shape of a golden football had Barcelona FC and Brazil striker Neymar's father standing on top.
The outpouring of color, pounding drums, joyful song, and samba dancing helped the crowds put aside fears over the Zika virus, the economy and attempts to impeach President Dilma Rousseff.
Dancer Luanny Victoria, 19, said: 'Despite the problems in our country, our people can't lose their love of partying. And whatever happens in our country, it's still the country of samba. 'People have to put those problems aside, at least for the three days of Carnival.'
Fear of catching the Zika virus from mosquitoes has become a national obsession in Brazil after a rash of babies born to infected mothers were found to have severe brain and skull defects.
Scientists have raised the alarm level with suggestions that saliva and blood could possibly transmit the virus. US health authorities say they have confirmed a case of Zika transmission in Texas through sexual contact.
But at the Rio Carnival, partygoers were determined not to let Zika spoil the fun.
Many said they were using insect repellent - a seemingly sensible step with so much skin exposed at the open air event. However, there were limits to how much they were prepared to stress.
Marilene Borba, 67, who was watching the parades, said: 'I use repellant, but the truth is that Brazilians couldn't give a hoot about Zika. It's Carnival. We have hot blood and after the fifth beer, no one remembers Zika.'
Grande Rio's samba school saw members make their way through the Sambadrome in costumes featuring miniature cars
Overnight hundreds of performers from some of the country's top samba schools competed in the incredible event
Members of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school dance while wearing distinctive yellow and earthly brown costumes
Students of a samba school, dressed in bold blue and white checkered suits, march through the Sambadrome while playing the drums
Wearing bold black and white costumes, these revellers were among those to take part in the two-day samba parade in Rio
A woman holds a giant sieve up to the sky as confetti falls down during the wild celebrations in Rio de Janeiro
Many of those attending used mosquito repellent, but most ignored fears over the Zika virus in order to participate in the party
A reveller from Beija Flor samba school makes her way through the Sambadrome to cap the wild festival with a two-day party
A woman wearing peacock-style plumage and a bright gold, blue and green bikini costume appeals to the 70,000-strong crowd
Drum queen Rayssa Oliveira, from Beija Flor samba school, dances during the culmination of the massive Carnival parade in Brazil
Source: Dailymail Uk
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