Feature: Cubans step up precautions amid rising daily COVID-19 cases

HAVANA, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) — Landlady Barbara Perez has temporarily removed the “Bed and Breakfast” sign from her place’s front door in central Havana. Like her, more and more Cubans began to step up precautionary measures once again as the island is likely to see a new wave of coronavirus infections.

The 62-year-old had been hosting international tourists at her two-bedroom house since mid-November after the full reopening of airports on the island.

Perez, who lives with her daughter and husband, told Xinhua that she preferred waiting for better times to welcome foreigners at her home.

“I know this decision will affect my earnings,” but “I am fully convinced that protecting ourselves from potential contagion with the virus must be the paramount priority,” she said.

COVID-19 infections in Cuba had been falling rapidly since late September last year. After about two weeks of double-digit daily increase in mid-December, the island country saw a fast rebound of the disease, which has raised public concerns and prompted the government to take stricter measures to control the spread of the virus.

Carlos Ramirez, a father of two adolescents, has instructed his kids to follow extreme safety guidelines at school as the number of pediatric COVID-19 cases continues to rise on the island.

“We have to do our best to raise awareness among children about the importance of handwashing and mask mandates,” he said.

Cuba on Saturday registered 2,174 confirmed COVID-19 cases and one related deaths, bringing the national caseload to 974,687 and death toll to 8,326, the country’s health ministry said. At present, there are 6,626 active COVID-19 cases on the island, with 39 of them being treated in intensive care units.

The Caribbean nation detected its first Omicron case on Dec. 8 and the total number of such cases has risen to near 100.

International travellers flying into Cuba are now required to show proof of vaccination and a negative result of a polymerase chain reaction test taken within 72 hours before arrival.

In addition, all passengers from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique must stay at designated quarantine hotels for a week at their own expense.

As no restrictions on people’s mobility and transportation have been issued yet, beaches, cafeterias, leisure centers and sports facilities across the country remain open to the public.

Cuban Health Minister Jose Angel Portal said that despite the high vaccination rates across the country, strict fulfilment of sanitary measures was fundamental to slowing the spread of the virus.

“The number of daily confirmed cases of coronavirus in Cuba is projected to increase in the coming days,” he warned.

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