A new costume theme at Carnival in Brazil this year: the Zika virus

There could be, hypothetically, a force powerful enough to grind Brazil’s Carnival to a halt. It’s not the Zika virus.

As public health officials grappled to contain a health crisis that the World Health Organization has declared a global emergency, Brazil kicked off its world-famous, pre-Lent festival on Feb. 5 with customary flamboyance and verve. The partying will continue through Feb. 13.

Expect the usual raucous samba contests, dazzling floats, and—this year—Zika-inspired “fantasias” or costumes. Because if there’s a season for irreverence and political incorrectness in Brazil, it’s carnival.

Here are a few examples of how Brazilians are celebrating in spite of, or because of, the mosquito-born disease.