Dominican Republic lifts night curfew for Covid-19
The Dominican Republic lifts the nocturnal curfew this Sunday that was in force for more than three months to stop the spread of Covid-19, one week after the presidential and parliamentary elections, although it will maintain restrictions.
"The social and physical distancing measures adopted in the framework of the state of emergency to combat # COVID19, with the exception of the curfew, remain in force," reported the Minister of the Presidency, Gustavo Montalvo, on Saturday night in Twitter
The national emergency declaration, which allowed a curfew to be decreed on March 20 and to close borders, expires next Tuesday, Montalvo confirmed.
On Wednesday, according to the government, airports will reopen in a country where tourism represents 8% of GDP.
The Dominican Republic, with 10.6 million inhabitants, registered until this Saturday 30,619 confirmed cases and 718 deaths from the new coronavirus, according to data from the Ministry of Public Health.
On Friday, in a speech, President Danilo Medina acknowledged that "the number of infected people is rising"; but his government decided not to ask for a new extension of the national emergency for not having "sufficient support" in Parliament, which must authorize any state of emergency measure.
Medina also assured that he seeks "to contribute to the electoral process (next Sunday, July 5) going smoothly."
Instead, said the president, the Ministry of Public Health will declare a health emergency that will allow for measures of social distancing, but without nullifying the right of free movement.
The Minister of the Presidency asserted that the health authorities will indicate in due course "the measures that the government will adopt to continue with the necessary social distancing" from the new coronavirus.
Some 7.5 million Dominicans are empowered to vote for the president, the vice president, 32 senators, 190 deputies and 20 representatives in the Central American Parliament, in elections that will be held in a pandemic.
The national emergency declaration, which allowed a curfew to be decreed on March 20 and to close borders, expires next Tuesday, Montalvo confirmed.
On Wednesday, according to the government, airports will reopen in a country where tourism represents 8% of GDP.
The Dominican Republic, with 10.6 million inhabitants, registered until this Saturday 30,619 confirmed cases and 718 deaths from the new coronavirus, according to data from the Ministry of Public Health.
On Friday, in a speech, President Danilo Medina acknowledged that "the number of infected people is rising"; but his government decided not to ask for a new extension of the national emergency for not having "sufficient support" in Parliament, which must authorize any state of emergency measure.
Medina also assured that he seeks "to contribute to the electoral process (next Sunday, July 5) going smoothly."
Instead, said the president, the Ministry of Public Health will declare a health emergency that will allow for measures of social distancing, but without nullifying the right of free movement.
The Minister of the Presidency asserted that the health authorities will indicate in due course "the measures that the government will adopt to continue with the necessary social distancing" from the new coronavirus.
Some 7.5 million Dominicans are empowered to vote for the president, the vice president, 32 senators, 190 deputies and 20 representatives in the Central American Parliament, in elections that will be held in a pandemic.
