As of January 1, the Cuban authorities will reduce the entry of travelers from six nations, all from the Caribbean, Central and North America, with the aim of curbing the increase in imported cases of COVID-19, as reported this Monday by Dr. Francisco Durán García, national director of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP).
The measure, announced at a press conference and published on the MINSAP website, applies to personnel from the United States, Mexico, Panama, Bahamas, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, from where the highest number of imported cases is registered, 71.5 % of all positive cases detected in recent weeks, mostly corresponding to Cuban citizens.
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To put this provision into practice, Cuban Civil Aeronautics authorities and the airlines involved are readjusting the details and, according to the state newspaper Granma, “as soon as the epidemiological situation allows it, the frequency of flights will be gradually restored.”
In addition to reducing the entry of travelers from these nations, a negative PCR test was established as a mandatory requirement for international travelers, to be carried out 72 hours before their trip. This measure will come into force as of January 10, 2021.
Cuba exigirá PCR negativo a los viajeros internacionales en 2021
The note adds that, after their arrival, the new arrivals will be under the established health protocols, which include carrying out a new PCR test at the border and, in the case of international travelers who do not arrive as tourists, another PCR five days after arrival.
For Cuban travelers residing in the country who do not have the conditions in their home or that of their relatives to fulfill home isolation, accommodation capacities will be ensured and the capacities for isolation in hotels destined for this purpose will also be guaranteed for Cuban travelers residing abroad or others, who decide to carry out their isolation in these facilities, assuming the payment of this service, explains the information offered by MINSAP.
According to the report issued yesterday by the health authorities, Cuba had 11,205 infections from the new coronavirus, after the 167 cases of a day in which 70 people were contacts of confirmed cases, 89 had a source of infection abroad and in eight the source of infection had not been identified.
