Coronavirus: Cuba claims to be a safe country and wants to reassure tourists

The Cuban government wants to support its tourism sector already affected by the American sanctions. AFP Photos / Yamil Lage

Text by: RFI Follow

"Cuba is a safe country! Said the Cuban government this weekend in the face of the global Covid-19 coronavirus crisis. While tourism in the world has largely slowed down, the Caribbean island wishes to remain open and reassure potential travelers as well as the inhabitants.

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With our correspondent in Havana, Domitille Piron

A prevention plan has been put in place in the tourism sector, which is driving the Cuban economy and the global pandemic does not seem to be worrying for the moment. " Tourists who decide to continue their trip to Cuba will be well received, " said an official with the Ministry of Tourism.

Cuba keeps its borders open despite 149 cases suspected of carrying Covid-19. They are currently kept under observation in hospitals in the country, mainly in Havana, they are 65 foreigners and 84 Cubans.

Yet on alert

The island has been on the alert since Wednesday March 18, when three Italian visitors carrying the new coronavirus arrived in Cuba. But in the streets of Havana, tourists stroll and visit the museums which are not closed. For the moment, only large-scale cultural events have been suspended, and some theaters, cinema and a few bars have closed.

The government is trying to reassure at all costs: we have all the drugs necessary to treat thousands of people who could be affected, said the Minister of Health on Saturday.

►Read also: Cuba, doing business in a socialist country

Preventing and reassuring is therefore the government's current plan, since closing the borders to tourists in the country would be a serious blow to the Cuban economy. The tourism sector represents the second currency entry in Cuba and for the month of March the island is already undergoing a 12% drop due to cancellations, not counting the drop linked to the American sanctions .

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  • Cuba
  • Coronavirus
  • Health and Medicine
  • Tourism