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| Here's the webcam LINK, which also has time lapse of the past 24 hours. |
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Now is the time to unite & be a team. We are a strong people who know how to raise to contingencies. Better days will come for Isla Mujeres. Stay at home. (Fe=Faith)
~~From the Mayor.
The most effective measure to avoid the contagion of Covid-19 is to avoid agglomerations and stay at home. Let's raise awareness and if you don't need to go out, don't go out~~The Mayor
We continue to urge all visitors to stay in their homes in isolation until this health contingency passes. Don't leave your house if you don't need to and remember that if you take care, you protect us all.~~From the Mayor
VIDEO Caption.... On Isla Mujeres, all sectors of society are united to stop the health contingency of Covid-19. (Shows closed businesses and empty streets and beaches).
In the state of Quintana Roo, as of 6pm on April 2nd, there have been a total of 296 suspected cases of Covid-19, with the following laboratory results: 170 negative cases, 70 under study, one death with 55 positive, with 48 in social isolation and 7 hospitalized. They are 37 men and 18 women distributed as follows: 38 in Benito Juarez (Cancun), 11 in Solidaridad (Playa del Carmen), 2 each in Tulum & Cozumel, and 1 each in Bacalar & OPB (Chetumal). You're reminded to Stay At Home.
As of 6p on April 1st, in Quintana Roo there have been a total of 271 suspected cases of Covid-19, whose laboratory results are: 161 negative cases, 59 under study, 1 death and 50 positive cases, of whom 7 are hospitalized and 43 are in social isolation. The 33 men and 17 women are located in six of the state's 11 municipalities as follows: 35 in Benito Juarez (Cancun), 10 in Solidaridad (Playa del Carmen), 2 in Tulum, and 1 each in Cozumel, Bacalar, and OTB (Chetumal). You're reminded to stay home.
They say....Stay Home! The Beaches are Closed! We are in the midst of a global contingency (& officially a National Health Emergency)! Your support is Vital. This is not a time for vacations. Stay Home!
Local officials are now translating the signs into English for *US*...please respect them. City, state & federal officials are pleading & making video appeals to comply with staying in for the month of April, except essential businesses/personnel/outings. Civil Protection are monitoring the island's beaches, police are monitoring our parks & public areas & both are in front of the ferry terminal to share this message & send people back to their homes & back to the mainland. The President closed the ports (except for cargo/passenger boats). Officials have explained that we need to flatten the curve because Mexico doesn't have the beds nor medical capacity to handle what will happen if we don't comply, & they're emphasizing that it is key to cooperate NOW.
The first sign is from the Dog Friendly Beach, thank you Esther Ellis!
IN CANCUN>>In coordination with the State Police, Cancun's Mayor, Mara Lezama, announced new measures of security, which include partial closure of roads, checkpoints at strategic locations, surveillance with drones and closing of beaches. This is part of Operation Stay at Home (“Quédate en Casa”) and was implemented yesterday.
She said, "It is time to stay at home and not to go out on the streets, except for those who are carrying out essential activities, it is not a vacation, the objective is to save lives and that we can overcome this situation soon." She added, “This will allow us to detect risk cases in a timely manner, since temperature tests and questionnaires will be carried out on motorists. We will be strict, we will be responsible and we will show solidarity, ”
The "Azor de Drones" squadron was activated in coordination with C-2 and C-4 (Centers for Command, Control, Communication & Computing) to monitor images in various locations. Police were making announcements from their vehicles and patrolling the beaches, telling people they should be at home.
On the closed roads, transports carrying merchandise, basic supplies or essential items will be allowed to pass, while the other drivers who are not carrying out essential activities will be encouraged to return to their homes.
The road closures at the city entrances include the road to Playa del Carmen (Colosio Ave), to Merida (Lopez Portillo Ave) and the bypass Huayacan Ave, as well as various intersections such as Tulum & Chichen, Lopez Portillo & Torcasitas, and Kabah between Ruta 5 & Talleres.
Source-Heraldo de Mexico & Q Roo government & state police on Twitter.
From the City....
Starting yesterday (Thursday) the downtown streets of Rueda Medina and Benito Juarez are restricted after 10pm, from the Naval base northward, to people who don't live in that area. Checkpoints will be established with screening, which are also being implemented in the Continental Zone. The municipal Chief of Police said they are working in coordination with the Department of Civil Protection & Firefighters and the National Guard. The beaches have also been closed to prevent people from congregating and prevent the possible spread of Covid-19.
Police Chief Jaime Ongay Ortiz said they will implement checkpoints in the colonias also. The municipal government urges the inhabitants to remain in their homes unless there is an urgent need to go out, thereby contributing to the mitigation of the possible spread of the coronavirus, which is affecting the whole world. (Photo is of the Continental Zone).
The City has installed signs at various beaches in the municipality, as well as in public spaces, urging the community to stay in their homes, as a measure against coronavirus. These announcements to stay home, from authorities to the populace, locals and visitors, can be seen on North Beach, Playa Centro, outside Chedraui, and on billboards in Puerto Juarez, among other locations.
The municipal government has increased preventative measures to contain the spread of Coronavirus, however, the participation of society at large is required, by staying in their homes to cope with this contingency.
Offices, supermarkets, vehicles and public transportation are being sanitized frequently, to prevent Covid-19 cases in the municipality, as well as the implementation of health screening at the various entry and exit sites of the island, which are only some of the actions that have been taken.
Discounts & extensions on fees, taxes & rents from the City of Isla Mujeres.
The City of Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, awards this RECOGNITION to all of the CHILDREN & TEENS who live in the municipality for your great participation in the prevention of Covid-19 by staying at home and following the provided recommendations.
Shared by the City, from the Department of Health, with a caption saying Chronic diseases, which are non-communicable, are risk factors that viruses and bacteria can use to affect a person.
How to avoid opportunistic infection in people with non-communicable chronic illnesses.
Chronic illnesses that aren't communicable such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as being overweight are risk factors that a virus or bacteria can take advantage of to affect these people because most have reduced immunity.
Recommendation to avoid infections when living with a chronic condition:
Maintain healthy levels of glucose, of blood pressure, of weight, of triglycerides & cholesterol. Get vaccinations, don't smoke and decrease your intake of processed foods.
Announcement from the Tortugranja to people who had applied to participate in the Program for the Protection of Sea Turtles that the process of selecting volunteers has been suspended due to the health contingency, until further notice.
The Consumer Protection Agency (PROFECO) is monitoring stores in Isla Mujeres to ensure they are complying with laws that protect consumers and that prices remain within the standards on items considered as basic groceries, and that prices are on display. Residents with complaints can contact 8004688722 or www.gob.mx/profeco
The caption says...The recommendations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus are very simple, follow them and together we'll help Covid-19 not reach our homes
The graphic says...
IF YOU MUST GO OUT, REMEMBER--
No greeting with kissing, handshaking, or hugging
Maintain distance between other people
Don't touch your face
Use antibacterial gel with 70% alcohol
If you cough or sneeze, remember to cover with your inner elbow or a disposable tissue.
The municipal government continues to comply with recommendations fo the federal Ministry of Health for Covid-19.
Activities at the beaches are suspended and the citizenry are requested to stay home, and guards will be maintained to advise visitors and locals to return to their homes and stay there. In accordance with the health and hygiene recommendations of the state and federal governments, the City of Isla Mujeres is carrying out actions such as the suspension of tourist activities on the beaches and the temporary closure of businesses in various areas where people congregate, with the sole objective of taking care of the population against Covid-19.
Dr. Xhanat Tze González Mora said in regard to coronavirus preventive actions, that since phase 2 began, a strategy determined and implemented to reduce the flow of people who perform non-essential activities on the island so, following the advice of the federal government, activities were suspended on the beaches and businesssuch as bars, discos, gyms, parks, and sports courts and events were temporarily closed.
She said, "Our goal is to reduce the entry of people who come to the island to sight-see or to perform other non-essential activities, as we have been reporting, the only way to prevent the spread of the virus is to stay at home and leave only if strictly necessary. Monitoring is being done so that there is no congregating in public places such as beaches or businesses, and people are being invited to return to their homes if it not necessary for them to be outside."
She said, "We are in a period of the epidemic when local cases will become apparent, therefore we must not relax. At this point, there can be asymptomatic carriers who can transmit the disease, and cases are increasing in the area. We need to stay in isolation as stipulated by the three levels of government."
Help those who have less during this contingency. Donate food to families. Share with those who have less. If you are the owner of a hotel or restaurant that has closed due to Covid-19, donate food in good condition...We will deliver it. From Caritas Q Roo & Hanal Q Roo
A slideshow from our Governor, with narration which says....To save lives...Stay at home...Together we can delay the propagation of Covid-19...We need to gain time and avoid many people contracting it in a short period of time. If 10% of people are infected in the next two weeks, the capacity of the health system to treat other emergencies may be exceeded. We need to reduce contagion and avoid a spike of cases, to prevent overwhelming the health system. Together we can flatten the curve and substitute the spike for a scenario with cases spread out over a longer period to avoid overwhelming the health system, so that the health services can work to attend to every sick person. If we can lengthen the time and impact of epidemic, we can attend to all the sick people at our maximum capacity. Covid-19 is spread by saliva and physical contact. Symptoms occur in 2-14 days and infected people without symptoms can infect others. One of the principle factors for slowing contagion is social distancing, particularly by social isolation. Save Lives.Stay at Home.
It is time to show solidarity with our workers: Ricalde Magaña
The president of the Association of Golf Cart Rental Agencies in Isla Mujeres, Julián Ricalde Magaña, urged the owners of these companies to keep the workforce as far as possible, since he believes that they will be among the most affected in this contingency. He said he is unaware of any workers who have been dismissed, but he made the request to keep them on, while they are at home, and pay them minimum wages in accordance with the agreements made with the Governor.
He said the emergency decree was somewhat confusing, because at the beginning it was thought that employers would not have the responsibility of paying minimum wage or reducing it by half. He said cutting wages from now on would be unfair and unjustified because although many have clsoed their business for more than two weeks, it is time to turn to savings.
He said we do not know what will happen in a month or two, if some employees will end up being dismissed, but he said that would not be the case with his employees. LINK
IN CANCUN....The State Secretary of Public Security, Jesús Capella Ibarra, announced on social media that on Thursday, April 2, measures in the municipality of Benito Juárez (Cancun) will be intensified, in response to the apathy of the people who are not taking the recommendations seriously for the prevention of Coronavirus infections.
When making a tour of the streets of the municipality of Benito Juárez, he said that it was unfortunate to see people out in the streets, as if they were immune to the pandemic that is affecting the world today.
He said that after the meeting with the National Council of Public Security, it has been decided to redouble actions in Cancun, which will include the implementation of two important actions; the blockage of certain roads in the city and the closure of all beaches. He emphasized that these measures must be followed for the safety of the community. LINK
Price of gasoline in Isla Mujeres continues to drop
The price of gasoline had dropped from 21 pesos to 18, and on Thursday at the station along the Caribbean road, the price was 15.9 pesos per liter. LINK
In Puerto Juarez~~Naval personnel aboard an Eduardoño-type boat on patrol noticed a woman drowning near Puerto Juarez and immediately rescued her. They took her to the Naval pier in Puerto Juarez, where she was attended to by personnel with Naval Health and the Red Cross, and placed aboard an ambulance to be transported to a local hospital for medical attention. LINK
Trash collection services continue without interruption
Trash pickup continues on its usual schedule of collection 8p-9p nightly, and a fifty percent reduction in volume after the closure of businesses due to the pandemic. The staff continue working to provide the population with this service, while implementing hygiene measures recommended by the health sector.
The municipal Director of Public Services, Pablo Jesús Moreno Povedano, said they providing 100% service all six routes, noting that the production of waste has decreased up to 70 percent on the routes for downtown, the beaches, and Sac Bajo, but they are still collecting from the homes in those areas, as well as nightly collection in the colonias.
He said the daily collection is at about 25 to 30 tons, which is a decrease of about fifty percent compared to the amount before the contingency. He requested that residents do not put their trash in the central areas of the streets, that they comply with the evening schedule, and bags should not weigh more than 20 kilos.
Buses continue to operate on all four routes, but half as many vehicles, while employing safety and hygiene protocols. LINK
Music VIDEO who caption throughout says Stay at Home... Paraphrasing the lyrics..... These are sad times, when we are far apart, with distance between you and I, sometimes with an urge to cry, but although we are apart, we are united. We will return to being together and doing the things we love & enjoying a cup of coffee together that is waiting to be tasted. We are thinking of those we care for most, while others are caring for patients, the brave ones who are also a little overlooked. We're following the measures of distance between us for although we are apart, we are united.
Hard times are coming, but the islanders have been brought up in storms. We are children of the sea and sun. Strong as the north winds, noble as the sea in summer. Generous and brave, we are all like brothers.We will shine again, dance again, toast, smile, and sail the open seas.
City officials notified the tortillerias, butcher shops, and produce sellers to use extreme sanitary measures to preserve public health, which includes one person for dispatching products to customers, and another who collects the payment. (photos)
VIDEO of an interview with the Director of Civil Protection & Firefighters who says there have been no cases of coronavirus and there are no suspected cases under study. He discusses the measures that have been implemented including screening, that there is (nearly) no commercial activity nor touristic activities, and the beaches are closed, so there is no reason to be out in the streets. If you have a necessary reason, like going to Chedraui, just send out one person, and not the children, seniors or vulnerable people. People should not have fiestas to celebrate their birthdays or for other reasons and should not have meetings or gatherings. He asks people to be conscientious and stay in their homes.
Schedule for the Ultracarga vehicle ferry to Punta Sam, which continues to operate, but not on Sunday, April 5th.
Photo #1 from La Tertulia and #2 from Ultracarga on FB.
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MaraVilla Caribe Bed & Beach
Four rentals with large glass doors overlooking our white
sand beach and
the beautiful Caribbean sea, with
kitchenettes & fast WIFI. In the upscale
neighborhood of Bachilleres,
convenient to downtown
or
the colonias, yet
separate. Quiet & Private.
.jpg) |
A large slider
opens from each of the 3 rooms onto the patio where each has a table
& chairs, hammock & clotheslines. The BBQ is behind the pole,
and the outdoor shower is out of the pic at left.    |
Fine dining a few steps away at Da Luisa or try the neighborhood eateries a couple blocks farther. We provide a list of links & direction to over 20 eateries within ten minutes walk, including Mango Cafe, Mike's Pizza, Brisas, Rosa Sirena, Coco Jaguar, Manolitos, La Chatita, Green Verde, Kash Kechen Chuc, and the large department store-grocery Chedraui & the local craft brewery. Visit marinas, bars, & beach clubs that are minutes away by bike or on foot. Attend Yoga classes a couple villas away at Casa Ixchel. Fresh juice, produce & tortillas a few blocks away in the village, as well as a variety of other stores.
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Full moon rising over the Caribbean
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| At Sunset--April 7 6:54p (sets 7:04p) April 8 7:59 April 9 9:04 April 10 10:08 April 11 11:11 Sunset 7:02-7:12pm (beginning vs end of month) Sunrise 6:40--6:17am Painting by Pamela Haase at MVC
LYRID METEOR SHOWER
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The "shooting stars" will be more frequent in the pre-dawn hours, when the radiant point is highest in the sky. Look over the Caribbean, toward the northeastern horizon, but don't worry if you don't identify the radiant point (near the star Vega)--they can be seen in all parts of the night sky. (The radiant point is where they appear to originate.)
Watch in the pre-dawn hours of April 20, 21 & 22 (Mon-Wed). They'll peak in the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, April 22. There may be some early on Thursday. You can also see three planets in the pre-dawn sky--Jupiter, Saturn & Mars, in the southeast.
There are records of this shower that go back some 2700 years, when the Chinese are said to have observed the Lyrid meteors "falling like rain" in 687 BC. The Lyrids are known for their occasional "outbursts", and observers have seen around 100 per hour in the US (1982), Japan (1945), and Greece (1922), with no predictions for this occurring this year.
The meteors are the debris of a comet (Thatcher) that takes 415 years to orbit the sun. They burn up in our atmosphere, about 60 miles up, while the star Vega is just a reference point and unconnected--it's trillions of times farther away.
HERE is an interactive sky map showing the position of the radiant (where the meteors appear to originate) in the sky above Isla Mujeres throughout the night & predawn. (Scroll forward to 10p+ when the radiant & Vega begin rising here.) You can change the date & location.
The Events section will resume when there are public events scheduled.
Sources for Weather Information:
LINK to Civil Protection Q Roo weather bulletin (Spanish)
LINK to Mexico National Weather Service (Spanish)
LINK to satellite images for the Mexico National Weather Service
LINK to GOES East Band 16 GIF (animation)
LINK to a private weather station on Isla Mujeres
BUS INFORMATION
The buses operate from 6a to 10p. The overhead digital display indicates whether they're going to the Tourism areas or the Colonias.The bus numbers don't indicate the route, they're numbered 1 thru 10.
The main downtown stops are just south of the Maritime (Ultramar) Terminal & across the street from it. In Centro, the buses stay on Medina, except they turn around near the Convention Center, behind the downtown Mercado. Outside of town, there are no designated stops & you flag them. Exit thru the back door, first pushing the red button nearby so the driver knows to stop.
Pay the driver 38 pesos/$2usd (or $9/175p for an all day pass). The front seats are for seniors, disabled & pregnant women. The 32 passenger buses have air conditioning & security cameras. (State residents pay 10p, INAPAM card holders & local students pay 5p.) LINK to bus company page on FB.
COLONIA ROUTES-1 & 2Route 1 goes down the western side on Rueda Medina and returns northward on the east side via Jesus Martinez Ross. Its west-east transit is Paseo de los Peces in colonia La Gloria.
Route 2 goes down the eastern side on Jesus Martinez Ross and returns northward on the west side via Medina. Its east-west transit is also Paseo Peces.
Routes #1 & #2 aren't exact opposites.
#1 takes J.M. Ross northward all the way from Peces to downtown, traveling thru Salina Chica,
#2 going southward turns left/east just before Salina Chica, leaving JM Ross & taking the Caribe Coastal road thru Meteorologico. I've heard it turns right/west back into the colonias by Madera Food & Art.
TOURISM ROUTES-3 & 4
Now the company advises riding #3 to Sac Bajo and #4 to Punta Sur.
Route 3 goes to Sac Bajo, down the western side of the isle on Medina.
(It was originally advertised as also going to Punta Sur. Then they said it only went to P.S. when that was the destination of passengers aboard, and otherwise after routing thru Sac Bajo it turned east on Paseo Peces & returned via the Caribbean Coastal road, Payo Obispo.)
Route 4 goes to Punta Sur & Garrafon down east side on the Caribbean Coastal road and returning northward on Medina to town.
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| This isn't a bus route map, it's a street map, showing how Jesus Martinez Ross follows the Caribbean coast until becoming the main street of Salina Chica and going on to La Gloria, while the Caribe Coastal road (aka Payo Obispo) follows the coast. The east-west transit, Paseo de los Peces, is shown, but not labeled, between colonia La Gloria and the Mundaca Hacienda. |
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