Havana, August 28 (RHC)-- Havana’s governor announced on Thursday an overnight curfew, a ban on travel from the Cuban capital to other provinces and more significant restrictions on the circulation of vehicles in a bid to curb a new peak in coronavirus cases. 

Reinaldo García Zapata said on the Round Table TV program that the new measures would come into effect on September 1 for 15 days, when the situation will be re-assessed. 

“Work- centers that are not of continuous production and essential services will stop their activities, hearing the proposal of their respective managements, and teleworking will be encouraged,” the governor said.

By the end of June, Cuba had mostly contained its novel coronavirus outbreak by isolating patients and conducting rigorous contact tracing and eased lockdown restrictions. 

But it tightened them again six weeks later after cases jumped, especially in Havana, albeit allowing domestic tourism over the summer as long as would-be vacationers took a coronavirus test before heading out. 

That loophole is now over, in the wake of the spread of infection from Havana to other provinces, as is freedom of movement from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., the first curfew since the crisis began last March. 

Most shops will only be allowed to sell food and hygiene products exclusively to residents of their own neighborhood. 

Zapata said that lack of discipline in some institutions and by individuals has led to the current uptick and that there will be severe fines on anyone found infringing the new measures. 

He added that the new set of measures have taken into consideration the overwhelming opinion of citizens.

Havana registered 269 cases last week, and it currently some 490 positive patients hospitalized. Since July 24, it has had ten outbreaks, which have affected 9 of its 15 municipalities.