NEWS AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. 17, 2020: A Caribbean island will shut down to leisure tourists again from Wednesday as the number of coronavirus cases in the region continues a steady uptick.
The U.S. Virgin Islands, which reopened its borders to tourists in June, now has 741 cases but its death tally remains at 9. Governor Albert Bryan Jr. announced the U.S. Virgin Islands will close its doors once again to leisure visitors, effective August 19, 2020, for a period of at least one month.
The Caribbean region added another 1,500 new cases in total Sunday.
The Dominican Republic added another 764 new cases which increased to 86,309 confirmed cases Sunday and 15 new deaths as the death tally reached 1,453.
Puerto Rico added 339 new cases Sunday to reach 25,695.
The Bahamas added 65 new cases to reach 1,315 as its death toll jumped by 1 to 18 while Belize added another 65 new cases to reach 452 confirmed cases.
Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago added 55 new cases respectively to reach 3,016 and 552 cases to date each.
Aruba added another 54 cases Sunday to reach 1,102 as Haiti added 48 new cases to reach 7,879.
Guyana added another 35 to reach 709. The country’s death tally also ticked up to 23.
Sint Marteen reached 300 confirmed cases after adding 31
Cuba, Turks and Caicos and Jamaica all added 24 cases respectively, Sunday.
Cuba now has 3,316 cases while Jamaica reached 1,106 confirmed cases. The TCI now has 298 cases.
Barbados and Curacao also added 1 new case Sunday to reach 151, and 34 confirmed cases, respectively.
USVI
The V.I. Department of Health on Friday reported 30 new cases of the novel coronavirus, leading to a total of 52 new cases in two days, as the contagion continues its spread in the territory with St. Croix registering 7 of the new cases, St. Thomas 22 and St. John 1.
Hotels, villas, Airbnb accommodations, guest houses, temporary vacation housing and charter vessels and similar businesses in the USVI have been ordered not to accept or book any new reservations for 30 days.
Accommodations providers are barred from admitting or checking-in any guests for 30 days unless the order is lifted sooner. Reservations may only be accepted for business travelers, flight crews, emergency personnel, and government workers with written authorization from the relevant government agency they are visiting.
Gov. Bryan said the territory will revert to the “Stay-at-Home” or Orange alert phase of its COVID-19 response, for the next two weeks, at which time it will be re-evaluated.
He also announced that as of today, Monday, August 17, 2020, all non-essential businesses and churches must cease operations and the public, including non-essential public sector workers, must stay at home.
Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago’s government also began implement tougher measures aimed at reducing the spread of the coronavirus after the number of infections increased in August.
The new measures will go into effect today and will last 28 days. It includes the closure of beaches and places of worship, as well as a ban on dining at restaurants and bars.
The Caribbean nation registered a jump in COVID-19 cases in August after a gradual rise in July.
