Cuba to keep borders open "for now" after Italian tourists found with coronavirus

Record ID: 1463687

  • Title: Cuba to keep borders open "for now" after Italian tourists found with coronavirus
  • Date: 13th March 2020
  • Summary: ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS, CUBAN HEALTH AUTHORITIES AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MANAGER OF EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CUBAN HEALTH MINISTRY, FRANCISCO DURAN, SAYING: "The country, the Cuban state has not yet taken the decision to close the border with any country, but when there are passengers coming in from China, the first country at risk, later with Italy, Iran, Japan and South Korea. First China and then all these countries. More recently, a few days ago, the United States of America, France and Germany were also included." WOMAN MAKING FACE MASK OUT OF FABRIC FACE MASK MADE OF FABRIC (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TEXTILE WORKER, OLGA RAMIREZ, SAYING: "Everyone wants to protect themselves, everyone wants (masks). Nobody wants one, they want two, they want three, they want five and sometimes there are not enough for the whole family because it has to be changed several times a day. The reality is we cannot cope. " NEWS CONFERENCE OF CUBAN PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY BIOCUBAFARMA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HEAD OF BIOCUBAFARMA EDUARDO MARTINEZ, SAYING: "In China, it (the antiviral Interferon alfa 2B) has already been used in the protocols that the Chinese have established. It is one of the products that appear in the protocol and it has been effective. For Cuba, we have seen this product before the epidemic so it has that benefit. " VARIOUS OF TAXI DRIVER OSMANY HERNANDEZ WEARING FACE MASK HERNANDEZ DRIVING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUBAN TAXI DRIVER, OSMANY HERNANDEZ, SAYING: "These are measures with hygiene, precautionary measures in place. Here I ride with all kinds of passengers, from Italy, France, Spain. No matter the place, it (wearing face mask) is only a measure of hygiene."
  • Embargoed: 27th March 2020 21:33
  • Keywords: Cuba Havana Italy coronavirus health tourists
  • Location: HAVANA, CUBA
  • City: HAVANA, CUBA
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA002C4W16PZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Cuban government will not enact controls on tourists coming into the Caribbean island, officials announced on Friday (March 13) after a group of Italian tourists tested positive to coronavirus.
    Cuba's state news broadcaster reported this week four Italian tourists who were staying at a hostel in the southern town of Trinidad had presented respiratory symptoms and were taken to a hospital. Later, tests confirmed three out of the four tested positive for coronavirus,
    In response, the Cuban Health Ministry said airport authorities have stepped up checks on tourists coming in from Asia, Europe and U.S.
    Travellers from countries such as Australia, Canada and China have been admitted to hospitals with symptoms.
    Authorities have directed the Cuban textile industry to keep up the production of face masks. Havana also reported large reserves in the drug Interferon Alfa 2B, which has reportedly been used in China to treat patients with coronavirus.
    (Production: Nelson Gonzalez, Mario Fuentes, Rodrigo Gutierrez)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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