Bahamas bans US tourist travel as coronavirus cases spike
Americans will no longer be able to travel to the Bahamas starting Wednesday due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The island nation will close its borders to travelers from the United States, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said Sunday, citing an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Travelers from the United Kingdom, the European Union and Canada will still be allowed to enter the Bahamas.
“Regrettably, the situation here at home has already deteriorated since we began the reopening of our domestic economy,” Minnis said. “It has deteriorated at an exponential rate since we reopened our international borders.”
The country's airline, Bahamasair, had stopped all outgoing flights to the U.S. as of Sunday. Private and charter flights will still be allowed; yachts and private boats are also approved to enter.
All travelers headed to the Bahamas must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 lab test from 10 days or less before the trip or they will be mandated to quarantine for 14 days.
It's unclear how long U.S. travelers will be banned from the Bahamas.