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Privately owned vessels and charter yachts flying a U.S. flag will still be welcomed in the Bahamas.
Less than three weeks after reopening its borders to international visitors, the Bahamas announced on Sunday that it is closing all of its airports and seaports to tourists from the United States effective today. Fortunately, for boaters, the ban is not all-encompassing. Private charters and pleasurecraft are still allowed, according to the Miami Herald. Additionally, CNN reported on July 16 that Canada is expected to extend its border closure another 30 days.
Virus Spikes
Last Sunday, the Bahamas Ministry of Health registered 15 new cases of COVID-19, for a total tally of 153 cases. Of the total, 49 new infections were recorded since the borders reopened on July 1. Of that number, 31 reportedly have been on the island of Grand Bahama, which had been virus-free for more than 2 months and is still recovering from Hurricane Dorian.
While Florida in particular represents the largest tourism market for the Bahamas, the Sunshine State also recently had a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. On July 19, Florida’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 12,478 new cases in a single day and this week, the state’s 80,236 new cases pushed the total past 350,000.
Faced with those numbers, Bahamian officials were left with no choice. The Ministry of Health warned that more restrictive measures could come if the number of infections for the island nation don’t drop. As of Monday, all public and private beaches on the island of New Providence, Paradise Island, Rose Island and Athol Island and surrounding cays were closed. Additionally, a nationwide curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. will go into effect and all indoor dining, public and private beaches and parks will be closed until further notice. Anyone who presents a falsified test will be subject to a $2,000 fine, two years imprisonment or both.
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