Brazil's Christ the Redeemer statue lights up to honour COVID-19-hit countries

Stunning images have surfaced on social media showing the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, lit up with the flags of all the countries that have been hit by COVID-19.

The 38-metre tall statue was lit up with images of each flag for a mass led by the Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Dom Orani Tempesta, in honour of the victims of the virus around the world.

There are more than 219,000 cases of coronavirus around the world and the number continues to rise.

Nearly 9,000 people have died from COVID-19 and the virus is in 157 countries.

The statue, which last year saw almost two million visitors, closed at day's end on Tuesday and won't reopen for at least a week.

Brazil has recorded more than 500 cases of COVID-19, including four deaths.