Barbados has declared an islandwide curfew as government officials launch an investigation into the alarming increase in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley, in an address to the nation on Thursday (December 31), said the curfew would run between the hours of midnight and 5:00 am daily; lasting for an initial period of two weeks, which ends on January 14.

Prime Minister Mottley explained the curfew was a necessary measure as Barbados confirmed 11 new COVID-19 cases, five of which were Barbadian and had no link to travel. In light of the discovery, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has launched an investigation and will intensify its contact tracing as well as testing measures to get ahead of a possible contagion.

“We’re doing that to be able to pause and cause everybody to pause with respect to the frolicking and the public gatherings and feting. There will be no commercial fetes day or night, during that next period up until the 14th of January,” Mottley said.

For his part, Minister of Health Jeffery Bostic indicated that among the five Barbadians, two were officers of the Barbados Prison Service, which presents a grave concern for the government.

“That is because…two of the cases are officers of the Barbados Prison Service. The Ministry of Health and Wellness is engaging with prison authorities, we will be launching a massive campaign at the prison intended to test every single person who works at the prison in Barbados over the next 48 hours—inclusive of prisoners, prison wardens and also civilian staff,” he contended.

Minister Bostic stressed that while the new cases show signs of renewed local transmission, Barbados does not have an instance of community spread.

The 11 new cases bring Barbados’ COVID-19 tally to 383, 57 of which are active. A total of 319 patients have recovered for the disease, while seven succumbed to coronavirus-related complications.

For the duration of the nightly curfew, all residents, citizens and visitors are being encouraged to stay indoors or face a fine of BD$50,000, imprisonment up to 12 months or both.

Employees or members of essential services, who are exempted from the curfew, must have their identification on their person at all times.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Mottley noted that with events cancelled across the island, the Government of Barbados will be compensating persons who bought food, other items and miscellaneous costs associated with the curfew.

“We will reimburse those persons the expenses for perishable items and sunk costs for set up. This government is caring, but it is not foolish.  Liquor can last so we are not…compensating anybody for any alcohol,” she told Barbados in a national address.

“But we accept that a lot of people may have gone and may have bought food and may have done things; we will reimburse them for that upon the appropriate evidentiary proof being submitted to the appropriate bodies, as you will hear from the subcommittee next week,” Mottley continued.

Monday, January 4, and Tuesday, January 5—which are banking holidays— will be declared public holidays to allow health officials to aggressively carry out contact tracing and testing.