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Cuba tightened border controls over a new growing wave of coronavirus infections in order to protect the vital national tourism industry.

Cuban authorities said that will require from visitors both a negative PCR within 72 hours and proof of vaccination, but they will continue to welcome tourists and keep children in school.

Daily cases more than 1,400. Deaths from the virus, however, have not increased. Cuba detected its first case of the fast-spreading Omicron variant last November and numbers have ticked up since.

Health officials said they expected cases to increase but not deaths, thanks to the country’s unusually high vaccination rate.

TTC     FM