Havana, October 29 (RHC)-- The Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) announced Friday that some international health control measures in force were modified and eliminated due to the decrease in positive cases of Covid-19 in the last 15 days.

MINSAP said that the mandatory quarantine for travelers entering the country will be phased out as of November 7, and the Polymerase Chain Reaction with Reverse Transcriptase (PCR-RT) test will be eliminated at the entrance of the country as of November 15, 2021.

As new measures, a 72-hour quarantine will be established in the first seven days of the coming month until a negative result of the PCR-RT, the presentation of a health passport, or international certificate of anti-Covid vaccination of the immunogens approved by the corresponding regulatory agencies.

If the latter document is not available, the person is required to submit a certification of a negative test for the disease performed during the 72 hours before travel, a requirement exempted for children under 12 years of any nationality who must also show a vaccination schedule.

In case of not having any of the documentation mentioned above, the traveler will be placed in institutional isolation for ten days and will assume the transportation and lodging expenses, according to the MINSAP.

As a requirement for entry into Cuba, visitors coming from the U.S. must present a health passport or vaccination certificate. The latter will also be required by the airlines, or in their absence, a PCR-RT test. The authorities will check the authenticity of the documents.

In correspondence with the epidemiological surveillance actions implemented upon arrival, samples will be taken randomly for this test. In case of presenting symptoms of Covid-19 or other infectious diseases, the suspect will be referred to a health center authorized for such purpose.

The permanent use of masks and disinfectant solutions will be required for all workers who interact directly with international or national tourists. Epidemiological surveillance in hotel facilities will be strengthened 24 hours a day with basic health equipment.

For foreign visitors and Cubans not residing in the country who stay in private homes, the ministry defined the monitoring by the health areas, the obligatory presentation to the health authorities, and the immediate notification in case of illness.

National travelers residing in Cuba must report to the family doctor's office or health area within 48 hours of arrival and, if not vaccinated, undergo a SARS-CoV-2 antigen test on the seventh day of arrival. The rest of the sanitary control measures are maintained.