New Delhi (NVI): The Government of Bahamas banned travelers from the United States and other countries where coronavirus cases are rising, in an effort to contain further spread of the virus.
All international commercial flights are banned from entering the Bahamas, effective from July 22, according to media reports.
In addition to this, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis while addressing a media briefing said that, the only exemptions are visitors from the United Kingdom, European Union and Canada who have been tested negative.
Minnis further said, “Our current situation demands firm action if we are to avoid being defeated by this virus.”
So far, Bahamas has a total of 153 confirmed coronavirus cases out of which 49 have been identified since the Bahamas reopened its borders on July 1.
The national airline Bahamasair have halted flights to the US with immediate effect and a number of beaches and parks have been closed until further notice.
However, private international flights, charters and yachts from all countries will be allowed.
Bahamas, which is mostly dependent on tourism, reopened its borders earlier this month amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bahamas’ move to ban most international travelers, especially Americans, is significant as 50 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) of USD 5.7 billion comes from tourism alone, with the majority of the 5.5 million tourists who visit the Bahamas each year coming from the US.
But with the US beating its own daily record of new coronavirus cases at least nine times in a month, Minnis stated that the Bahamas needed to focus on saving lives and limiting spread of the virus.
“The better we are at this, the more our economy could open up and people could make a living,” he said.
-RJV
