~Businesses are asked to remain closed as of midnight, controls will be taking place.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of VSA Richard Panneflek announced on Wednesday at the Council of Minister's press briefing that St. Maarten is currently experiencing a second wave of COVID-19 infections. In the first wave of the epidemic, 22 cases were hospitalized. Of the 549 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 468 have since recovered. So far in the second wave, four persons have succumbed to the COVID-19 virus. After a spike in the cases around mid-August when around 20 new cases were reported each day, the number of cases seems to have dropped to around 10 per day. This might be a result of the closure of nightlife venues that was initiated on August 15th, 2020.
Panneflek said that the Minister of TEATT is calling on the business community that they are allowed to open for business they must close by midnight and while open they must ensure that all guidelines regarding the social distancing along with sanitizing especially now that St. Maarten prepares for the high season.
