Cuba declares curfew in Havana as COVID-19 surges

[El Presidente]

 

HAVANA (Reuters) - A curfew will go into effect for the Cuban capital of Havana on Friday evening, as the Caribbean island struggles with its worst coronavirus surge since the beginning of the pandemic.

State-run media reported that from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. only authorized vehicles and personnel would be allowed outdoors in the city, which has 2.2 million residents.

Cuba managed to contain the virus last year, boasting case rates that were well below average, but it has experienced a surge since the country's airports began reopening in November. More than 15,000 cases were reported in January, nearly 50% of them in Havana and around five times the monthly figures last year.

The government said a majority of the cases were linked to travelers breaking quarantine, mainly Cubans living abroad. Authorities shuttered schools and dining in Havana and other parts of the country last month and imposed restrictions on flights and travelers to try to stop the spread of the virus.

Cuba has seen an average of about 900 daily COVID-19 cases in February, similar to the international average. A total of 225 people have died in the country since the start of the pandemic.

[Kaptain Karl]

Guess I wont feel bad about my recent splurge when the supply dries up in 4 months! Wonder if they consider cigar manufacturing essential since a Communist country does need access to hard currency? 

[El Presidente]

My understanding is that they were operating at 50% before this. 

 

[Fosgate]

Order placed. If you guys don't hear from me for awhile my wife probably buried me in the back yard.

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, Fosgate said:

Order placed. If you guys don't hear from me for awhile my wife probably buried me in the back yard.

.....hopefully with the cigars 

[Fosgate]

15 hours ago, El Presidente said:

.....hopefully with the cigars 

If not and she comes here to sell them, wait until they're in someone elses hands before anyone calls the cops. 

[Cigar Surgeon]

Well well well, if it isn't Cuba's old nemesis; the predictable consequences of their actions.

[Fosgate]

I sent Rob a message to add another box to the order. I'm sooo dead anyway, might as well go all the way. My mailman will take notice of all these packages coming from foreign addresses and I'll probably see an unmarked narc van accross the street and a few weeks. Might as well plan for my death. If the wife gets mad I'll just tie a dishtowl to the back of her shirt and say, "Now your Super Mad." She might laugh, she might kill me in my sleep. 

[Nino]

Here is a good site to follow the case numbers in Cuba :

https://covid19cubadata.github.io/#cuba

I'm surprised at the incidence rate of 99,91 per 100k people ( higher than Germany right now ) and the 80,25% rate of foreign transmission ....

 

[helix]

Exponentially worse than reported officially , you Know he numbers are suppressed , especially when the greedy broke government stifles tourism .