REGION – Several Caribbean countries record COVID-19 related deaths

CMC – Jamaica, Haiti, Guyana and Suriname recorded a total of seven deaths from the coronavirus (COVID-19) as health authorities in those Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries renewed calls for their populations to take the necessary measures to prevent the spread of the virus that has killed 693,154 and infected 18.2 million others worldwide, since it was first detected in China last December.

The Ministry of Health said that the two person who died from the virus in Jamaica were a 64-year-old man from Clarendon and a 73-year-old woman from St Thomas. They said that the number of deaths is now 12 and that 11 new positive cases were recorded on Sunday, bringing the total so far to 894.

The new cases include seven females and four males, ranging from ages 13 to 73 years. Two of them were classified as imported, with the affected persons having arrived recently on flights from the United States and the Dominican Republic.

The health authorities said that two are contacts of confirmed cases; and seven are currently under investigation.

Jamaica now has 90 active cases under observation, with two moderately ill patients. Recoveries remain at 743, while 49 cases have been repatriated to their countries of origin.

Haiti, which has one of the highest number of cases within CARICOM, registered 44 new cases within the past 24 hours as well as four deaths, according to figures released by the Ministry of Public Health.

It said that the total number of positive cases in the French-speaking Caribbean Community CARICOM) country has risen to 7,468 since the first case was detected on March 19.

The ministry said that the four new deaths, including three in the West Department and the other in the North Department, brought the death toll to 165.

Haiti has 2, 697 active cases and 18, 540 suspected cases while 4, 606 persons have been healed of the virus.

In Guyana, the Ministry of Public Health is reporting that the number of COVID-19 cases increased by 44 bringing to 474 the number of persons who have tested positive for the virus.

The ministry has also reported that another person has succumbed to the virus taking the total number of deaths to 21.

It said that to date, 185 persons have recuperated from COVID-related illnesses and that there are 268 active cases in institutional isolation at various facilities across Guyana

“In total 4,893 persons have been tested for the virus with 4,419 yielding negative results,” the ministry said.

Suriname reported a 27th death on Sunday, adding that of the 166 tests conducted over the past 24 hours, 89 returned positive, with most of the cases occurring in the capital, Paramaribo.

Suriname now has 1,849 infected cases since the first one was detected on March 13 with 100 persons hospitalised with 15 at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

“In the last 24 hours, 33 civilians were declared cured, which brought the total to, 1,194. The number of positive cases in isolation is 613, (while) in quarantine there are 343 people,” the authorities noted.

Trinidad and Tobago recorded two more cases overnight, bringing their total to 182. It said one of the new cases is a primary contact of a recently positive COVID-19 case, while the other is still awaiting epidemiological investigation. Trinidad and Tobago has registered eight deaths from the virus.

In all the Caribbean countries, the health officials have been urging people to continue practising social distancing in the workplace, public spaces, and while using public transportation to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease. They are also reminded to practise frequent hand washing/sanitising and always wear a face mask if they must go out.

Source – CMC