The Bahamas is banning travellers from the United States starting Wednesday at midnight. after a surge in coronavirus infections followed the islands’ reopening to international tourism. Most of the islands’ visitors come from the US, many from Florida, which has high and climbing rates of infection from the novel coronavirus.

Bahamasair will cease outgoing flights to the United States, effective immediately. Outgoing flights will be permitted to accommodate any current visitors scheduled to return to the United States after Wednesday, July 22.

Private flights and charters from the US, as well as pleasure craft and yachts will be permitted.

Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said Sunday that the country had seen 49 new coronavirus infections since it opened on July 1, nearly a third of the total of 153 cases seen on the island since the start of the pandemic.

“Regrettably, the situation here at home has already deteriorated since we began the reopening of our domestic economy,” Minnis said. “It has deteriorated at an exponential rate since we reopened our international borders.”

Minnis said travellers from the United Kingdom, Europe and Canada will still be allowed to visit the Bahamas.

Visitors and Bahamas citizens will need to present proof of negative results from a molecular COVID test upon entry.