Cuba to restrict entrance of foreign visitors to curb COVID-19

Cuba will restrict foreigners from entering the island nation for a month starting Tuesday as a preventive measure against COVID-19, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Friday.

"Cuba will guarantee the safe return of foreign visitors to their countries, and will maintain commercial activities and cooperation with other nations," Diaz-Canel said on national TV.

He urged citizens to restrict travel and cancel social events, stressing the importance of stepping up border control as part of a prevention plan to curb the pandemic's spread.

These measures come days after Cuba reported its first death from COVID-19 on Wednesday, and the number of confirmed cases reached 21 to date, all of which were imported, according to officials.

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero said the country is not closing its borders, but regulating the entrance of foreign visitors.

"Cuban nationals, as well as foreigners residing in the Caribbean nation for study or work purposes, will be able to arrive in the country by plane or boat," he said. "The Cuban national airspace will remain open for international flights."

Marrero said special facilities to provide medical attention have been set up to isolate crew from cargo flights and ships visiting the island.

The Cuban government said it will provide assistance to sectors affected by the restriction, namely tourism, and transportation.

(CGTN)