Cuba tightens border controls amid Covid surge

Havana, Jan 6 Cuba has tightened Covid-19 border control measures in a bid to stem the ongoing surge triggered by the highly-transmissible Omicron variant.

The surge in cases follows the resumption of international flights in mid-November and Christmas gatherings, reports Xinhua news agency.

International travellers flying into Cuba will now be asked to show proof of vaccination, as well as negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests taken within 72 hours before arrival.

In addition, random PCR tests will be conducted at the country's airports, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

Children under 12 will not be required to show vaccination proof when visiting the Caribbean nation.

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

Cuba reported its first case of the Omicron variant on December 8, 2021, after a healthcare worker who had travelled to Mozambique tested positive.

So far, the island nation has recorded 92 cases of the new variant, the Ministry said.

In the last 24 hours, the Caribbean nation registered 967 new Covid cases without any fatality.

Cuba's overall caseload and death toll stood at 969,138 and 8,324, respectively.

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