Cuba’s capital goes back to tight restrictions

Описание: (2 Sep 2020) Cuban authorities launched a strict 15-day lockdown of Havana on Tuesday to halt the low but persistent spread of the new coronavirus in the capital.
Aggressive anti-virus measures, including airport closures, have virtually eliminated COVID-19 in Cuba, except in the capital, where cases have increased from a handful a day to dozens a day over the past month.
Starting Tuesday, Havana is under a 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew.
   
Most stores are barred from selling to shoppers from outside the immediate neighbourhood, in order to prevent people from moving around the city.
Some Havana residents complained that the measures were complicating the already-difficult task of buying food in a city stricken by constant shortages and endless lines for a limited supply of basic goods.
Police were deployed on roads out of Havana to stop people without special permits to travel, issued only in extraordinary circumstances.
Some provinces that saw no new cases for weeks have begun detecting them in recent days, often linked to people from Havana.
The island of 11 million has reported slightly more than 4,000 cases and fewer than 100 deaths since the start of the epidemic, one of the lowest rates in the region.
The country made face masks mandatory in the early stages of its response to the pandemic, and in the first months of the crisis, police imposed aggressive fines and even jailed people for violations.
That stance slackened somewhat as Havana moved out of the first, strictest phase of lockdown in July, public transportation restarted and people returned to work. Cases began to climb, and the capital province returned to phase zero last month.
However, the measures failed to curb the rise of the coronavirus, as authorities lamented widespread violations of requirements, including the wearing of face masks, avoiding large gatherings and maintaining social distance.
The government announced last week that for at least 15 days the capital would be placed under the strictest measures to date. They include fines of up to $125 per violation, more than triple the average monthly wage.

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