Tropical Storm Eta is expected to strengthen to a hurricane before landing at Central America early on Tuesday.
Today Isla Mujeres continues to report a total of 221 cases with 20 deaths and 184 recovered.
For 10/31, the state geoportal continues to report 6 active cases by colonia as Salina Chica-1, La Gloria-2, and Downtown-3.
The national map for 10/31 reports 147 suspicious and 100 negatives for our municipality.
Isla's C-19 Timeline:
March 13--First official case in Q Roo-in Cancun, in a traveler from Europe.
March 15- Temperature screening implemented at docks. Hotel occupancy at 70%. Golf cart agencies at 80%. Governor announces there will be no suspension of activities/events & expressed concern about economic impact. Waiters, vendors & masseurs report income dropping.
March 18-19--City orders bars closed & restaurants to stop dine-in service. Social distancing begins at City meetings & education/awareness is organized for businesses, parents, & workers about C-19 prevention. Upcoming Isla events are cancelled, churches & organizations discontinue meetings. Closure of senior & day care centers. US State Dept announces Level 4 Travel Alert (Don't).
March 20-21--School suspended. Residents advised to stay at home, leaving only when essential & to only go to hospital for urgent/essential treatment, unaccompanied. City bans alcohol sales on the isle except in restaurants. Patrols on beach advising social distancing & hygiene measures. Tourists are departing & hotel occupancy drops to 50%.
March 23--National Healthy Distance Campaign (Essential Activities Only) began. Mayor suspends boats bringing tour groups to the island & tour groups arriving by ferry. He encouraged tourists to depart the isle and residents to stay in their homes, leaving only when essential & then to use social distancing, frequent hand washing/gel and avoid contact. (Meanwhile Pres. Obrador was holding rallies, shaking hands & kissing supporters & defending Mexican's need to greet physically.)
March 28-While Mayor & City officials urge residents to stay home, the Governor supports healthy distancing. The President changes tune & warns that a hospital bed shortage is likely if people don't comply with staying home and leaving only when essential. C-19 czar Dr Gatell warns that people must stay home for a month to avoid overwhelming medical system.
March 29-City begins to patrol parks & beaches inviting residents and tourists to return to their homes/rooms. Boats anchored off North Beach were told to depart until further notice (per a federal directive.) City begins "Stay at home-This isn't a vacation" campaign--in English & Spanish.
March 30-Beaches officially closed with guards at entrances. Authorities were stationed outside ferry terminal advising tourists to return to mainland.
March 31-Mexico declares a State of Health Emergency, suspending all non-essential activities for a month (which was later extended), urging the population to stay home voluntarily and requesting all non-essential businesses close, voluntarily. Nearly all commercial activity on the island has discontinued. Complaints mount against Ultramar for not advising tourists that Isla's business and beaches are closed & for selling them tickets. The Governor now says Healthy Distancing isn't enough and everyone should stay home unless it is essential to leave.
April 1--On the isle, billboards were erected advising residents to stay home and in Puerto Juarez they warned tourists to stay away. Hotels were closed and without tourists, except a few who hadn't left Mia yet. Maritime Terminal mostly empty, non-essential businesses closed, Chedraui restricts customers to one at a time.
April 4--First C-19 case in Isla Mujeres. Checkpoints implemented to keep people at home except for essential errands. Mayor appeals to Ultramar to reduce crossing & limit passengers to residents & vendors only, no tourists (without success). Residents are assured not to worry about shortages of food or other essentials. They are reminded not to have any gatherings--to not celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
April 7--State begins delivery of 6000 bags of groceries & hygiene products in the municipality.
April 11-- Local restaurants begin making large batches of food & feeding out-of-work residents. It was "Semana Santa" (Easter week) when ferries normally would bring ~25,000 passengers daily. Efforts to limit mobility are intensified state-wide. Restrictions increase on the isle, limiting when more than one person can be on/in a vehicle, with a curfew.
April 14--Face masks become mandatory on the isle if you must leave your home for necessities & seamstresses were donating them. Only essential businesses may operate. Individuals & organizations work to help feed islanders. National Healthy Distance campaign extended thru May 30. Residents are reminded to stay in Social Isolation--No going outside to exercise, no visits, no parties, no trips, no going to the parks or beaches, no gatherings. We're advised to conserve water.
April 18--The state decrees it is a misdemeanor crime to violate measures implemented against C-19, such as mandatory use of face masks in public, punishable by fines or jail time. Police were giving out masks. Q Roo led the nation in reducing mobility and staying at home.
April 21--Some foreigners who are persistently complaining on FB about closures and restrictions suggest organizing protests. They are reminded (by fellow foreigners) that any involvement in Mexican politics is prohibited by Article 33 of the Constitution. Random checkpoints & food aid continue. Take-away and delivery are allowed by restaurants.
May--National Epidemiological light implemented, with Q Roo in Red, which means we continue with Essential Businesses Only/ Essential Outings Only. Cancun builds C-19 field hospital with ~240 beds outside General Hospital. Individuals, organizations & businesses continue working to feed residents, and to provide PPE for health workers. Isla's hospital discontinues non-urgent services (C-19 patients are treated on the mainland.) Prohibition of alcohol continues on the island, while on the mainland sales are just limited to 10a-5p. Government provides another round of food aid.
June 1--Mexico's "New Normality" begins, giving discretion to the Governors about opening up. Our State epidemiological light is implemented in Red. The Governor begins a "Reactivamos Q Roo" campaign to resume tourism, which he says is essential to the state's economy. Hotels begin preparing to open the following week & ferry traffic increases with more workers crossing. Business must construct barriers for clerks/cashiers & erect signs about mandatory masks & capacity limits, workers & employers must obtain C-19 prevention certifications, and sani-mats & temp-checks must be implemented at entrances, among other requirements.
June 8-12-- On the state epidemiological light, our Northern Zone advances to Orange, which allows hotels & restaurants to open at capacities of 30%. Tourism resumes, as more domestic & international flights become available. Residents continue to be advised to stay home except for essential outings, not to socialize with neighbors or outside family, and not to gather. Q Roo moves from Red to Orange on the National epidemiological light.
July-The Governor & Mayor contracted C-19 and recovered. We remained in Orange on the state epidemiological light (which determines activities/capacities stay at 30%). We returned to Red on the national light. More that 60 young "Yellow Cap" volunteers were stationed in teams at high-traffic & high-risk areas of the island to promote correct wearing of masks and social distancing.
August-The number of active cases in Isla Mujeres reached an all-time high. Public beaches remained closed with the state light in Orange all month, which continued to limit hotels & restaurants to 30% capacity. The Diabetes Clinic donated more PPE to the medical workers. The Lion Fish competition was held virtually as exhibitions. A "Yellow Cap" volunteer required hospitalization after he was assaulted by a tourist, who objected to being advised that the beaches were closed.
September-- On the state light, our Northern Zone advanced to Yellow on the 7th, allowing beaches to open (with social distancing and other rules) & capacities to increase to 60% at hotels & restaurants. Citizen & official complaints were directed at Ultramar who stopped limiting capacity to allow for social distancing. They responded that they have federal permits which allow them to operate at 100% capacity. State rules limit public transportation to 50% capacity. On the National light, Q Roo spent part of the month in Orange and part in Yellow.
October--On the 9th, the criteria for reporting positive cases was changed to include patients who exhibited symptoms of C-19, who lacked a positive test, but had been in contact with a patient with a positive test. This caused a considerable increase in cases (14) which had not actually occurred in the previous 24 hours, at Week 27 on the graphics. Public events remain suspended & we're still not celebrating holidays. On Thursday, the Governor warned that the Northern Zone is very close to returning to Orange, because our Contagion Rate was at 0.98-0.99 and if it reaches 1, we return to Orange. That would mean a closure of public beaches and reducing capacities at restaurants and hotels from 60% to 30%. The next announcement will be Thursday, for Monday-Sunday. On the National light, Q Roo has gone from Yellow to Orange again.
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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.
Free
amenities include hammocks,
portable beach
chairs, beach towels,
washer & dryer, loungers, shared bikes, BBQ grill, and safes. Panoramic
views from the
rooftop terrace. Large sliding doors open to a patio &
the white sand backyard-beach, overlooking the Caribbean sea. Downtown
is ~ a mile away; we're on
all four bus routes or flag a $3 taxi. Off street parking. In the quiet
neighborhood of Bachilleres, sleep to the sounds of the sea.. $275/$325/$425 wk $40/50/$65nt
Monthly Discounts
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 rose Oct. 31-6:30p |
Nov 1-Sunday at 7:07p
Nov 2-Monday at 7:46p
Nov 3 Tuesday at 8:30p
Nov 4 Wednesday at 9:18p
Nov 5 Thursday at 10:10p
Sunrise 6:50-7:07 (beginning vs end of month)
Sunset 6:10-6:04
Turtles continue hatching out at the Tortugranja in November
The mamas
nest along the eastern beaches from May thru October. Tortugranja staff and
volunteers gather the eggs and incubate them in the sand in a pen
outside the facility. Three species nest annually in Isla Mujeres,
Greens, Loggerheads,
and Hawksbills. Photos of nest hatching out at
MaraVilla Caribe Bed & Beach, that was missed by the Tortugranja
patrols, by Bruce. 
Public events have been suspended due to C-19. Holidays have featured online competitions and events.
Nov. 1-2--Dia de los Muertos/ Day of the Dead
Nov. 9-20--Buen Fin (Sales)
Thursday, Nov. 12--Postal Workers Day El Día del Cartero y del Empleado Postal
Monday, Nov. 16-- Día de la Revolución Day off (Long weekend) Offices close.
Friday, Nov. 20--Día de la Revolución
Nov. 16-17--Leonid meteor shower, without moon interference this year. Beginning after midnight and peaking before dawn.
Thursday, Nov. 26--Normally celebrations for Isla's Patron Saint would begin and continue thru her day, December 8, but this year public celebrations have been suspended due to C-19.
Monday, Nov. 30--Official end of Hurricane season
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
LINK to NHC
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