Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis now giving his national address. Thread >>

92 confirmed cases so far. 72 in New Providence, 8 in Grand Bahama, 11 in Bimini, 1 in Cat Cay. Fourth day in a row with no new cases.

PM welcomes home the 183 Bahamians and residents who returned to New Providence and Grand Bahama on Friday. 59 are in govt quarantine.

PM: This is first phase of a larger effort. "I have heard many expressions of gratitude from those who are back home."

PM: Most countries closed borders weeks ago and have not allowed return. Bahamas is among the first countries in world to allow general return of citizens and residents following closure of international borders.

Bahamians still overseas have been assisted by diplomatic corps, says PM.

PM warns that people in quarantine must adhere to protocols and face five years in jail or $10,000 fine or both if they don't. PM: No one who tested positive would be allowed on a repatriation flight. However, one positive passenger was on the flight to Grand Bahama, it was found

Three passengers who travelled with that passenger are being tested again. All passengers will remain in quarantine and will continue to be monitored.

I'm a little unclear why the PM has reported no new cases when one has just flown into the country.

Airline advised to temporarily suspend repatriation flights. Resume when health officials advise.

PM: It is important for business owners to carefully read provisions of emergency order and to comply with sanitising and distance provisions.

PM: Provisions apply to retail establishments that can operate without person to person contact or face to face interactions. Never intended to apply to operation of gaming houses. Part B of the order now makes this clear.

Part E of the order: Responsibility for approving all incoming air traffic by commercial or private now consolidated in the Department of Civil Aviation in the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation. PM: No confusion going forward over which govt dept has right to approve traffic.

Bahamians wanting to come back need a negative test. If Bahamians cannot obtain a molecular swab test, the nearest consulate facility will assist. On returning home, if necessary, the test may be repeated by the Ministry of Health.

PM: Not since outbreak of World War 2 have we lived through such a devastating impact on our economy. Tourism, trade and commerce are all suffering devastating and deep blows. We are in very difficult and uncharted waters. More than 25,000 people have been laid off or lost income

PM: Unemployment rate likely to exceed an unprecedented 30%. Entire global economy in freefall.

PM: This is a crisis like no other. The IMF predicts that the economic fallout will surpass that seen during the global financial crisis a decade ago.

PM: By some estimates our economy will shrink by between 14 and 20% in 2020. Tourism, the leading engine of our economy, is being devastated. Many businesses that closed during the lockdown are not confident they will be able to reopen once the restrictions are lifted.

PM says upcoming Budget on May 27 will outline plan for country for 2020-21 beginning in July. Says it will seek to provide for ongoing support of those still recovering from Dorian. "We will ensure that no Bahamian goes hungry" from the economic hurricane caused by COVID-19.

PM says there will be expanded construction and civil works. This is essentially a way of injecting money into the economy to kickstart work, jobs, etc.

PM: We must change the way we approach how our economy functions. He urged the economic committee to be bold and innovative.

Economic committee has been meeting regularly and has established a number of sub-committees, including one for the Family Islands.

Again, PM calls for people to provide ideas and advice.

PM: We will not, I repeat, we will not sugarcoat the severity of the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

PM: Some of our decisions will be uncomfortable and indeed will be painful.

PM says it is his hope that the Official Opposition will be similarly guided by a broad-based patriotic spirit... of cooperation. (No mention of what that means)

PM: Discussions continuing on reopening of churches. Churches open for individual prayer. Church offices open for half a day Monday-Friday. Churches also operating food programmes.

PM: We also need spiritual healing.

PM talking about those allowed into country before repatriation exercise. On Wednesday, April 29, six arrived by private aircraft.

Over emergency period, six other people - three Bahamian citizens, one permanent resident and three work permit holders contracted for specialised emergency work - were allowed into the country.

One of those Bahamians was permitted to exit country and reenter after medical care over course of 24-hour period. Tests and self quarantine applied.

A total of three work permit holders, two needed to service BPL generators, placed under self quarantine. Third was engineer working on private island, again placed under self quarantine.

(Will double check those numbers and details as there was a little bit of confusion at the start in the numbers)

PM talking about taking on the Ministry of Health post until he appoints a replacement and paying tribute to the health team, including Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis and the medical expertise on the health team.

PM says we will continue to hear from Dr Dahl-Regis - and from the PM in "various ways and various places", sometimes in national addresses, sometimes in Parliament, sometimes it may be at Ministry of Health press briefing and sometimes at office of the prime minister.

This current commentary from the PM seems to suggest that he heard the criticism over his failure to appear at the last Ministry of Health briefing.

PM quoting the Bible (Corinthians) while paying tribute to mothers.