During the press conference for the latest information about Covid-19 in Panama, Sucre said that the Ministry of Security and the police authorities will help to make the supervision of the vehicles and motorcycles that pass through streets.

If more alcoholic beverages are found than allowed per person - six beers, or a bottle of wine or one of another liquor - these will be seized and people will receive a penalty, he said.

Businesses that violate the rule will also be penalized. If it is a small store, the fine may be $500, but if it is a large store, the penalty will be $1,000 to $5,000, he explained.

Statistics

The Chief of Epidemiology of the Minsa, Lourdes Moreno, reported that the accumulated cases of the new coronavirus in Panama increased to 8,282 (212 new cases) and the deaths rose to 237.

3,218 people are in home isolation, and of this total 996 are hospitalized in hospital hotels, she added.

While there are 326 hospitalized patients: 241 are in wards, and just like yesterday, 85 remain in intensive care units.

On the tests carried out, the total is 41,649, and of these 32,083 were negative and 9,566 were positive.

Moreno said that the number of clinically recovered cases is already at 4,501.

Companies must protect workers and customers

Sucre explained that in order to return to the “new normal”, the country's companies will have to make adjustments, based on the protocol that the MINSA will soon deliver to them.

He added that depending on the type of work, there will be particular characteristics, and in addition to the use of personal protective equipment to prevent workers from catching the Covid-19, businesses must implement strategies to care for their customers, such as: social isolation , greater and better cleaning of the facilities, use of alcohol gel, among others.

"The return will require us to change the way we operate," he emphasized.

Humanitarian flights and safe conducts

Sucre mentioned that Panama has gradually started humanitarian transfers of Panamanians abroad. The repatriation of these people - who could not be transferred to the country due to the closure of the airports - will be done in a controlled manner and in coordination with the Foreign Ministry, he added.

He also reported that the safe-conduct has been authorized for the company that carries out improvement works on Uruguay Street, in the township of Bella Vista, in order to prevent flooding during the rainy season. The construction project for pavilion 6 of the La Joya Penitentiary Center, which seeks to alleviate overcrowding, was also reactivated.