Cuba eases border curbs as daily cases decline

Havana, Nov 8 The Cuban government has started to ease coronavirus border restrictions as the number of daily Covid-19 cases, deaths and hospitalisations has continued to decline in the past one week.

The Caribbean nation has so far registered 955,981 confirmed Covid cases and 8,262 deaths, reports Xinhua news agency.

On Sunday, local authorities lifted mandatory hotel quarantine for international travelers who arrive on the island as more than 76 per cent of people in Cuba have been fully inoculated with home-grown vaccines.

Also, incoming Cuban nationals can go home straight away after arrival.

Starting November 15, passengers with vaccination passports or certificates issued overseas will be allowed to enter the country, the government said.

Unvaccinated foreign visitors will have to present a negative PCR test within 72 hours after arrival.

Children under 12 will not be required to show PCR tests or vaccination passports when visiting Cuba.

According to the Ministry of Transportation, the number of international flights to Cuba could increase from the current 63 a week to about 400 in mid-November.

The reopening of air borders came as the tourism high season in Cuba starts, which runs from November to April.

Cuba has welcomed as many as 200,000 international travellers in 2021 and expects to receive some 100,000 more tourists before the end of the year, said the Cuban Ministry of Tourism.

Beaches, cafeterias, restaurants and sports facilities have reopened as restrictions on people's mobility have been lifted.

Still, either locals or foreigners who visit Cuba are required to abide by mask mandates and physical distancing guidelines in public places to reduce the risk of contagion with the virus.