By NAN Staff Writer
News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Thurs. Aug. 26, 2021: The US State Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are urging U.S. travelers not to travel to three Caribbean countries because of the risks of COVID-19.
The State Department has issued its highest travel alert, “Level 4 – Do Not Travel,” for the Bahamas, Haiti and Sint Maarten, which takes into account CDC travel health notices because of the risks of COVID-19.
The CDC also lists the three countries as “Level 4: Very High” for COVID-19, according to an advisory updated Monday.
According to Johns Hopkins University data, 3,134 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Bahamas in the past 28 days. That’s nearly a fifth of the small country’s total cases throughout the pandemic. Just over 14% of the population is vaccinated.
Currently, the Bahamas has 17,615 cases of the virus and 343 deaths. Seventy new cases were reported Wednesday and 5 new deaths.
Haiti has almost 21,000 reported cases and 584 deaths. Sint Maarten has 3,520 cases of the virus and 46 deaths. Three new deaths were reported yesterday along with 48 new cases.
The CDC says because of current situation in the three countries with rising infections, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants.
REGIONALLY
At least a dozen Caribbean nations are seeing new spikes in COVID-19 cases amid vaccine hesitation by many.
Cuba yesterday reported over 8,600 new cases and 96 new deaths, the most for the region.
Jamaica was in the second spot – reporting 367 new cases and 14 new deaths as the country also grappled with a nursing sickout Wednesday.
That’s more than the Dominican Republic’s 314 new cases and four deaths reported yesterday.
Also seeing new spikes in cases and deaths are Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, St. Lucia and French Saint Martin.
Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, Barbados, Grenada and the Cayman Islands also reported new cases yesterday.
