COVID-19: Barbados up to 46 cases, implements 24-hour curfew

Barbados' Acting Prime Minister, Santia Bradshaw, has announced a 24-hour curfew may be in impact from Friday, April 3 at five pm, because the island's number of COVID-19 instances has multiplied to 46 from 45.

One more case was suggested out of 33 men and women that were examined among Wednesday and Thursday.

Bradshaw stated that folks' insistence on ignoring the call to exercise social distancing has led to more significant stringent restrictions.

"Our observations to this point remain that there are huge corporations of individuals congregating throughout the island even no matter the persistent warnings of the risks of doing so, " stated Bradshaw throughout a stay press conference.

She declared that supermarkets and minimarts can be closed with effect from 5 pm on Friday 3 April till further notice. Persons are allowed to be on the roads only:

To visit the pharmacy, To seek medical assistance, If they're part of crucial services, if they're doing commercial enterprise with any of the exempted businesses.

"The members of the Cabinet sub-committee with appreciate to COVID-19 met this morning with the owners of some of supermarkets, fuel stations and bakeries throughout the island and among the issues expressed at that assembly by using those gift are that even as much as this morning large numbers of people retain to congregate outside the supermarkets...We can't in addition delay the closure of supermarkets and minimarts throughout the island, to do in any other case may have deleterioharmfulon the wellness of our citizens," Bradshaw stated.

Government is in discussions with supermarket owners on e-commerce alternatives and permitting the most susceptible contributors of society to fulfil their grocery orders.

Village stores will continue to be open however ;no extra, than 3 human beings can congregate assemble and no alcoholic beverages can be sold.

"We are asking the village shop proprietors that they are necessary dispatch of groceries to humans dwelling in those communities however to curtail and make sure that they restrict persons congregating to folks no greater than three and also that no alcoholic beverages are sold."

All restaurants should be closed until midnight, April 14, 2020.

Auto-marts at gas stations could be closed besides for the sale of top-ups and all gasoline stations will remain open. Bakeries and bread depots will also stay open below the new hours assigned.

All Government departments will remain closed unless in any other case specified by using the Head of the Civil Service. A memo will be despatched to all ministries by using the Head of the Civil Service asserting who could be required to visit work.