The Falkland Islands Government on Friday moved to the next stage of its response to the global COVID-19 situation. While there are still no confirmed cases on the Islands, the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Rebecca Edwards, says it is now likely COVID-19 is present here.
Authorities of Cape Verde have closed all sea borders and have restricted flights from the UK, US, Canada and a number of other European countries from 18 March. As of 18 March, only a restricted number of flights are allowed into the country to enable visitors to return home. This follows confirmation of a Covid 19 case in the former Portuguese colony.
The Falklands weekly Penguin News this week published a summary of releases, decisions, recommendations and overall strategy of the Islands facing, as in the rest of the world the challenge of Covid 19. The big news is that the Falklands until this week, had no positive tested cases of the virus and that so far there is sufficient health care capacity and expertise to face the situation.
The Anglo Theatre Touring Company arrived in the Falkland Islands ready to entertain children and adults alike, but sadly new travel restrictions in Chile meant they had to leave the Islands earlier than planned.
The Falkland Islands Government has announced a new air travel advisory and outlined the terms on which it may assist cruise ships seeking to repatriate passengers. Likewise, it strongly recommends foreign nationals seeking to leave the Falklands to do so on Wednesday, March 18, LATAM flight.
Scientists have found evidence of ancient slope failures on the seafloor to the south of the Falkland Islands on the South Atlantic. Computer models suggest these underwater landslides would have been capable of sending waves crashing on to the Falklands' coastline that was tens of meters high.
Falklands patrol HMS Forth hosted a wreath-laying ceremony in Falkland Islands waters during a remembrance service honouring those who lost their lives aboard SMS Scharnhorst in 1914.
The Falkland Islands Government announced on Friday that next week it will publish details of its planning to respond to serious infectious disease outbreaks. All parts of the Government have been working since late January on the many parts of such a response, including regular pandemic planning group meetings.
The Government of the Falklands updated its advice on travelling to the Islands, in response to a further change in the global COVID-19 situation. The Italian Government this week announced emergency measures across the entire country in response to the virus.
The government of the Falklands is updating its advice on travelling to the Islands, in response to the global COVID-19 situation. All passengers arriving in the Falkland Islands by air are routinely required, by law, to complete a declaration about countries they have come from or visited recently.