News from Cape Verde - August 2020

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31st - Covid-19 - 32 new positives cases.  7 Santiago, 25 Fogo. Governo de Cabo Verde)

30th - Covid-19 - 74 new positives.......... 54 Santiago, 1 São Vicente, 1 death, 9 Sal, 10 São Nicolau. (Governo de Cabo Verde)

30th - Sal and Santiago Islands ..... President said we are out of the state of calamity which ended last night ...... The Prime Minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva, said today, admitted the possibility of the Government extending the state of calamity that ends this Sunday in the islands of Santiago and Sal after a period of 21 days, if necessary. (Sapo - 30.8.20)

30th - The state of calamity extended on the islands of Santiago and Sal for a period of 21 days ends today, with the President of the Republic needless to say whether he will declare another state of emergency. (Sapo -30.8.20)

29th - 33 new positives: 27 Santiago, 4 Sal , 2 São Vicente, 1 death. (Governo de Cabo Verde)

28th - PDF - Boletim Oficial (in Portuguese). Regulations and protocols that businesses must guarantee in order to obtain authorizations to carry out their business activities.

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28th - President of the Republic will convene Council of the Republic and refuses to confirm whether there will be a new state of emergency. (Expresso das Ilhas -  28.8.20).

28th - Covid-19: 47 new positive cases, in the last 24 hours, in 396 samples analyzed, increasing to 3,745 accumulated cases of new coronavirus. Of these, 31 were registered on Santiago (Ciidade da Praia), 15 in Sal and 1 in São Vicente. (Opais - 28.8.20)

28th - NOTICE: ELECTRA informs its customers and the general population of Sal Island that, for operational and security reasons, it will stop the Palmeira Electric Power Station, resulting in the interruption of the power supply, on the 30th of August, Sunday, during the period from 06 am to 10 pm, for preventive maintenance interventions.

28th - State-owned Cabo Verde Telecom (CVTelecom) was fined five million escudos (45,600 euros) for not allowing operator Unitel T + to access the submarine cable station, according to a decision by the Cape Verdean regulator in the telecommunications sector. (Noticias ao Minuto - 28.8.20)

28th - From now on, inter-island boat trips, lasting less than 3 hours and 30 minutes, can be carried out with maximum passenger capacity. (RCV - 28.8.20)

28th - ALEX SAAB case: ex-Prime Minister predicts "huge losses" to the country if the dossier is not managed intelligently. (RCV - 28.8.20)

27th - Hotel Sabura in Santa Maria will serve as an Institutional Isolation space for asymptomatic patients with covid-19 on the island of Sal. (Sal Wave - 27.8.20)

27th - Public officials in Boa Vista among the positive cases of Covid-19. (Video - Portuguese - TCV - 27.8.20)

27th - NOTE: Bank accounts at BAI Cape Verde that have not been in operation for more than three years will be closed. This is a measure to prevent money laundering and combat terrorist financing. (Expresso das Ilhas - 27.8.20)

27th - PR and PM meet tomorrow 28th Aug. (Opais - 27.8.20)

27th - Government / IBM partnership to train 10,000 young people in digital. (Opais - 27.8.20)

27th - Covid-19 new cases: 57 Santiago, 7 Sal, 5 Sao Nicolau. (Governo de Cabo Verde)

27th - Meliá White Sands Hotel & Spa will open by late 2020 and offer guests 835 stunning rooms and suites right on the coast on Boa Vista Island. (Top Hotel news - 27.8.20)

26th - Ninety-three health professionals infected with COVID-19 in Cape Verde. (Noticias do Norte - 26.8.20)

26th - After more than a month without diagnosing new cases of COVID-19, Boa Vista registered today 4 new infections. (Opais - 26.8.20.)

26th - In less than a week, Fogo Island recorded 30 cases of Covid-19 and one death. (Noticias do Norte - 26.8.20)

26th - Reopening to tourism also depends on sending countries. (Opais - 26.8.20)

26th - Portugal is going to deliver to Cape Verde, two pieces of equipment for carrying out PCR diagnostics tests. (E-Global-PT - 26.8.20)

26th - Covid-19 - 62 new positives. 45 Santiago, 8 Fogo, 5 Sal, 4 Boavista (Governo do Cabo Verde)

25th - Citizens residing in the United Kingdom who travel to Cape Verde via the air corridor for essential flights, which take place from Lisbon, are required to be quarantined on their return to that European country. In the same warning, the FCO recalls that Cape Verde has remained closed to international commercial flights since 19 March. However, since August 1, the Portuguese airline TAP has provided an air corridor for essential flights from Lisbon, with eight weekly connections. (Jornal Economico - 25.8.20)

25th - Fogo Island (25th) - In recent days the numbers of positive covid-19 cases have started to rise on the island of Fogo. Today there is another 11 reported cases.(Opais - 25.8.20)

25th - Covid-19 results - 24 Santiago, 11 Fogo. (Governo de Cabo Verde)

24th - 13 new positives cases: 8 Santiago, 5 Fogo. (Governo de Cabo Verde)

24th - Cape Verde Government confirms termination of contract with Portuguese Sevenair. (Sapo - 24.8.20)

23rd - Prime Mister opens new Health Centre in Santa Maria. Inauguration planned for 25th August. (Opais - 23.8.20)

23rd - One person made an enquiry with TAP on how to make a successful journey from Lisbon to Sao Vicente during August. The person was informed they must have:  NEGATIVE PCR REQUIRED 72 H    +   TSA TSA NO TOURISM, CLEAR    NATIONAL VERDIAN CAPE     Or or    CV RESIDENT CARD       Or or  MARRIED AND / OR CHILDREN CV CITIZENS    Or or      work CARIMBED CONTRACT SIGNED ETC   Or or     ENTERPRISE     Or or    PROPERTY!.

If you don't have any of the above element, you just don't board. NOTE: It will be up to individuals to make their own enquiries with TAP as to documents to support any of the above elements! Another European traveller with a business in Cape Verde, travelled to Sao Vicente Island with TAP, from UK via Lisbon, to reach the island within 72hrs. Note: this was 72hrs from the time the test was taken!.

22nd - Gil Évora denies travel on behalf of the State. (Opais - 22.8.20)

21st - Fiscal Measures Amended Budget: Reduction of VAT Rate in the Tourism sector to 10 %. (Direção Nacional de Receitas do Estado - 21.8.20)            

21st - Test results - New covid-19 cases: 40 on Santiago, 2 on Fogo, 2 on Sal.               

20th - COVID-19: Cape Verde registers 47 new cases, 9 of which are on Sal Island. One more death recorded. (Exprsso da Ilhas - 20..8.20)

20th - United States reduces travel alert level for Cape Verde. (Expresso das Ilhas - 20.8.20)                       

19th - Cape Verde officials secretly meet with Maduro in Caracas. (el Carabobeno - 19.8.20)

19th  - New cases - 58 on Santiago, 10 on Sal. (Governo de Cabo Verde).

19th - TAP cancel flights from Lisbon to Sal in September. There are still flights showing for October to and from Sal, but no guarantees that they won't be cancelled.. Those that can travel under 'Essential Travel' to Sal are flying into the airports from Lisbon to Santiago or Sao Vicente. Please check what documents you require in advance, to avoid disappointment. (No Link)

TAP - TAP.Fly is advertising and selling seats on flights from Sal in September 2020 ..... but no announcement yet about Amilcar Cabral airport opening on Sal! (TAP - Aug.2020)

Great video: Before borders closed and now, what the islands looked like when there was tourism, and how they look now without tourism. (Videos - Sapo.cv)

18th - Embassy pages: Las Palmas, Gran Canaria - Visa enquiries.  

18th - The Consulate General of Cape Verde in the Canary Islands, is pleased to inform the entire community of Cape Verdeans residing in the Canary Islands, about the new service of consular procedures by appointment via the Web. Website info available in Portuguese Spanish, French and English. (Consul of Cape Verde)

18th - 50 new cases. 47 on Santiago, 3 on Sal. (Opais - 18.8.20)

18th - The Japanese government will support Cape Verde with 1.9 million euros for the acquisition of rice and wheat, allowing the prices of those products to stabilize in the midst of a health and economic crisis, the Cape Verdean executive announced today. (Noticias o Minuto - 18.8.20)

17th - Cape Verde with one more death and 24 new positive cases of covid-19 in Santiago and Fogo. (Opais - 17.8.20)

17th - Covid - 19 - Director of the Department of Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health, Jorge Noel Barreto, declares that at this moment the real situation of the spread of the virus in Cape Verde is not known. He also adds that "at this moment in the country the tip of the iceberg of the disease is hardly known, since the number of tests performed is not sufficient to have a concrete idea of the spread of the virus in the country" (Noticias do Norte - 17.8.20)  

17th - Sal / Report: Owners of bars and restaurants in Santa Maria launch SOS because of the crisis caused by Covid-19. (A Semana - 17.8.20)

16th - Law on the use of masks on public roads awaits promulgation by the President of the Republic. (Noticias do Norte - 16.8.20)

16th - The government is preparing a dossier with all the sanitary and legislative measures that are being implemented in the country, and that will be presented to the European Union. This dossier will include the POSI-CHECK [Prevention of the Spread of Infection], an instrument created by Crystal Standards. (Crystal Standards - Website)

16th - covid-19 results. (governo de Cabo Verde - 16.8.20)

16th - 'Lay-off': DGT alerts companies to the need to indicate the legal prohibition of activity. (Expresso das Ilhas - 16.8.20)

16th - Government partnership with Icelanders at TACV is detrimental to national interests, analysts say. (RCV - 16.8.20)

16th - Jorge Noel Barreto: “The real situation of the covid-19 in Cape Verde is unknown”. (Noticias do Norte - 16.8.20)

15th - Covid-19: 23 new cases on Santiago, 4 on Sal Island. (Opais - 13.8.20)

15th - Entrepreneurs of restaurants and drinks create the Creole Restaurant Association of Ilha do Sal. (RCV - 15.8.20)

15th - Expresso das Ilhas found that TUI, the largest operator in Cape Verde, sent two messages to the Cape Verdean government. A Government source told Expresso das Ilhas, there should be news about the opening of international borders, but the decision of other countries, to authorize their citizens' trips to Cape Verde, depends on a series of parameters and an audit, which is being carried out, the results of which will be analyzed by the competent bodies of the European Union. (Expresso das Ilhas - 15.8.20)                                 

14th - Jorge Barreto believes that Sal's epidemiological situation will delay the reopening of borders. (Noticias do Norte - 14.8.20)

14th - Covid-19 results - New covid-19 cases: Santiago Island 44, Sal Island 19. (Governo de Cabo Verde - 14.8.20)

14th - CV Telecom will acquire two more rectifiers to prevent the country from suffering another communication failure. (Noticias do Norte - 14.8.20)

13th - Covid-19 results (Governo de Cabo Verde - 13.8.20)

13th - 290 companies have already asked to join the second phase of the lay-off regime. (Expresso das Ilhas - 13.8.20)  

13th - Japanese couple on honeymoon and stranded on Sal Island end up as Cape Verde's Olympic team ambassadors (Channel News Asia - 13.8.20)

12th - Covid-19 Update - (Governo de Cabo Verde - 12.8.20)

12th - TAP announce they will start to fly to Boa Vista in October from Lisbon. (Zap.aeiou - 13.8.20)

12th - Tourism Minister expects to reopen tourism on the island later this month. (TCV - 12.8.20) PLEASE NOTE - Not all countries with airlines that used to fly to Cape Verde (pre March 2020) will operate flights to Cape Verde from August 2020. Some airlines will fly into some Cape Verde islands, not others. Flights from Cape Verde airports to other international airports abroad may be limited to certain airports or countries and, these may change/be cancelled as a result of fluctuations in corona virus infections (home or abroad). Other airlines may not return to Cape Verde until later this year or next (who knows). Check your own Government websites for updates and that of the flight operator/airline. 

12th - Ministry of Tourism wants to train 600 professionals in the tourism sector across the country. (RCV - 12.8.20)

12th - Bar, restaurant and hotel owners complain about the losses they say are huge. (RCV - 12.8.20)

12th - Covid-19. Cape Verde with 24 new recoveries and 3 thousand accumulated cases. 71 new cases on Santiago, 9 new cases on Sal Island. (Opais - 12. 8.20)

12th - Saga to launch Covid-19 holiday insurance. (Breaking Travel News - 12.8.20)            

12th - TACV / CVA suspended employment contracts with almost 100% of employees. Most of the pilots have already delivered their houses in Sal and are returning to Praia. (A Nacao - 12.8.20)

12th - Latest government measures to combat covid-19 are hasty, considers CCISS president. (RCV - 12.8.20)

12th - Covid-19 has killed more than 23,000 in Africa. (Opais  12.8.20)  

11th - Cabo Verde Telecom launches project for the largest Submarine Cable Terminal Station in the country. (Noticias do Norte - 11.8.20)

11th - From the 26th of this month, that is, 60 days before the elections, inaugurations are prohibited, the same calendar establishes. (RCV - 11.8.20)  

11th - The prime minister says that he does not react to open letters in the media, when confronted with the letter from Colombian businessman Alex Saab. (Sapo - 11.8.20)

11th - Covid-19..... 36 on Santiago, 1 Sao Vicente and one mortality. (Opais - 11.8.20)

11th - Prime Minister says Government “is complying” with Sal. ((Opais - 11.8.20)

11th - When inaugurating, in the presence of the Prime Minister, the renovation works of the António Sousa neighborhood and the new Calçadão de Santa Maria, Júlio Lopes referred to the fulfillment of the “contract” with the population of the Island. (Opais - 11.8.20)            

10th - Covid-19 results 10.8.20. (Governo de Cabo Verde - 10.8.20)

10th - Internet users displeased with the ban on parties and gatherings in private homes. (Noticias do Norte - 10.8.20)            

10th - There are nine infected with Covid-19 at the São Martinho Prison (Santiago). Two of these are at the Agostinho Neto Hospital. In the last 24 hours there were 47 more suspected cases. (Opais - 10.8.20)  

10th - CV Airlines CEO Erlendur Svavarsson, in a letter addressed to workers, acknowledges that, despite "numerous conversations and good intentions", there is still "no agreement" among the major shareholders on future financing and settlement of past debts. (Expresso das Ilhas - 10.8.20)

10th - With four more recovered Sal reduces active cases to 48. (Noticias do Norte - 10.8.20)  

10th - Cape Verde: Bar Association warns of unconstitutionality of restrictive measures. (RFI - 10.8.20)

10th - 25 new cases, all on the island of Santiago. (Opais - 10.8.20)

10th - The Government has decreed the mandatory use of masks on public roads, even in open spaces. However, the measure does not appear in the published BO on the extension of the state of calamity and raises questions of constitutionality. (A Nacao - 10.8.20)

10th - The Prime Minister is expected, this Monday, 10, in Ilha do Sal, for a 2-day visit to the Island. (Opais - 10.8.20)

10th - The ordinance that establishes the new rules for the use of facial masks will be published today and implies sanctions when non-compliance occurs in certain sectors and areas of activity, especially vulnerable to the spread of the virus, such as transport and trade. (Expresso das Ilhas - 10.8.20)

9th - 23 new positive cases all on the island of Santiago. (Noticias do Norte - 9.8.20)

8th - IMP announce rules for use of beach from 10th Aug. On Sal it will be as follows: The "Istituto Marittimo Portuario" (maritime authority) has issued the circular regulating the use of the beaches for the next three weeks starting on 10 August.

8th - Covid-19 : 2 deaths in Santiago. Reported cases: 49 Santiago, 4 São Vicente, 2 Sal. (Opais - 8.8.20)  

8th - The measures announced yesterday (7th) will take effect this Monday, August 10th. (Noticias do Norte - 7.8.20)

8th - Decision on reopening borders only next week. Next Monday, the 10th, the Government will meet to decide, depending on the situation in the country and whether the prognosis of opening is maintained in the second half of August. (Opais -8.8.20)

7th - Covid-19 results 7th Aug. (Facebook - Governo de Cabo Verde)

7th - The Government extended, this Friday, 7, the state of calamity for the two Islands most affected by the new coronavirus, in the country, Santiago and Sal. (Opais - 7.8.20)

7th - Sal - Renato Evarchis' post: Restaurateur from Santa Maria imports 2,000 masks at the price of 407 euros and pays 229 euros (25,223 escudos) in costs and customs clearance fees.

7th - COVID-19: Three deaths in 24 hours. (Expresso das Ilhas - 7.8.20)

7th - 'WHO' is in China to investigate the origins of the new coronavirus. (TVi24 - 7.8.20)  

7th - D. Saúde de S. Vicente asks passengers coming on the ship Praia d'Aguada to make screenings of Covid-19. (Mindel Insite - 7.8.20)  

6th - REMEX fourth edition: Paddle crossing between São Vicente and Santo Antão with the participation of 12 athletes. (Noticias do Norte - 6.8.20)

6th - Economic Crisis: Sal hotels and tour operators apprehensive about the current situation and already admit redundancies. (Sal Wave - 6.8.20)  

Article from July 16th 2020: Tents and tin houses increase in the neighborhood of Alto de Santa Cruz, Sal island. (Sal Wave - 16.7.20)  

6th - Sal: Thirty people who tested positive in a rapid test and negative in PCR prevented from traveling to São Vicente. (Noticias do Norte - 6.8.20)

6th - Covid-19: The 20/30 age group is the most infected in Cape Verde. (Noticias do Norte - 6.8.20)

6th - Portugal grants moratorium (a legal authorization to debtors to postpone payment.) to Cape Verde on direct loans. (Expresso das Ilhas - 6.8.20)

6th - The ship Interilhas of Cape Verde Interilhas, CVII, aborted, on the last night, the trip to Ilha do Sal, leaving several passengers ashore, without much explanation. (Opais -.6.8.20)            

6th - Covid-19 - 45 new positives:  37 on Santiago and 8 on Sal. (Facebook - Governo do Cabo Verde - 6.8.20)

5th - 58 new cases. 39 on Santiago, 19 on Sal. One more death. (Opais - 5.8.20)

5th - Hospital Dr. Agostinho Neto will double beds for hospitalization of patients with covid-19. (Inforpress - 5.8.20)

5th - Head of State visits Boa Vista Island, between the 7th and 9th Aug. (Opais - 5.8.20)  

4th - Work continues on new the HOTEL RIU PALACE SANTA MARIA, Sal Island. It is due to open in 2021. This video was taken Aug 4th 2020. (Taken from August Album - Cape Verde Tips)

4th - According to the Ministry, in the last 24 hours, 48 new cases of Covid-19 were registered in the country, 35 of which were diagnosed in Praia, Santa Cruz and Tarrafal de Santiago with 2 each, São Salvador do Mundo , São Miguel and Ribeira Brava with 1 each and São Salvador do Mundo and Sal with 3 each. One death was recorded and 19 recoveries. (Opais - 4.8.20)

3rd - Another 36 new positive cases, all in Praia, Santiago. (Opais - 3.8.20)

3rd - Passengers stay on the ground on the first TAP flight between Lisbon and Cape Verde for not meeting requirements. (A Nacao - 3.8.20)

3rd - Another 15yr old girl drowns off shore on Boa Vista. (RIP. Condolences to her family and friends). (Noticial do Norte - 3.8.20) 

3rd - 29-year-old dies on Santa Maria beach. (Opais - 3.8.20) (RIP. Condolences to her family and friends). 

Maritime: CV InterIlhas launches mobile system for check-in. It is necessary to install the SmartBoarding system on a mobile device. (Noticias do Norte - 31.7.20)

3rd - TUI may organise a flight from Sal to the Netherlands (Amsterdam). Please access this link for more information. (Google Doc - 3.8.20)  

2nd - The youngest person in Cape Verde died, victim of Covid-19. This is an 18-year-old man who was admitted to the Agostinho Neto Hospital, and lived in Cidade Velha. Santiago. According to OPAÍS.cv, it can be determined that the young person did not suffer from other diseases, but even so he evolved to a critical condition. (Opais - 2.8.20)

2nd - Covid-19: 63 positive cases, 12 on Sal and 51 on the island of Santiago. (Opais - 2.8.20)

2nd - After five months with the country closed, it is not certain when and in what manner the reopening will take place and it is unknown at what pace the tourism sector will resume. For small traders, these are painful times that have stopped years of growth. Some small businesses have reached their limit.  (Expresso das Ilhas - 2.8.20)

1st - In just 1 and a half months, at least 14 people have already been detained on Ilha do Sal for hunting turtles, a practice punishable under the Cape Verdean law.(Opais - 1.8.20)  

Please find below the link to information on the test results for Covid-19 for 1st August 2020. For further updates please follow 'Governo de Cabo Verde' on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/GovernodeCaboVerde/
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1st - Sal Island: Alex Saab visited Ramiro Alves hospital for alleged health problems. The Colombian businessman who is awaiting extradition in Cape Verde was in Hiace escorted by five other vehicles, which comprised a total of twenty special forces agents. (Inforpress - 1.8.20)

1st - Cabo Verde Broadcast, the company that manages DTT, Digital Terrestrial Television in the Archipelago, has programmed the beginning of the "blackout" of the analog signal, starting on the 17th of this August and terminate January 2021 (Opais - 1.8.20).