Record daily infections as COVID-19 ‘Delta wave’ rises

Daily infections from the coronavirus soared past the 300 mark for the first time ever as two more unvaccinated people died, according to Ministry of Health figures.

The viral illness has so far claimed 84 lives.

The  Best Dos Public Health Laboratory confirmed 318 positive tests – an equal number of 159 males and females – from 2,786 tests conducted on Monday.

The new cases consist of 69 children and 249 people over age 18.

Patients currently in public isolation facilities number 926 but the health ministry didn’t provide figures about those isolating at home after it endorsed the practice on Monday.

Two Barbadians, a 92-year-old woman, who had no known pre-existing condition, and a 96-year-old man with a co-morbidity, died from the virus on Monday while at the Blackman and Gollop and Harrison Point isolation facilities respectively. Both were unvaccinated, said the ministry.

Tests results received on Monday, also confirmed that an 82-year-old woman, who died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Sunday, was infected with COVID-19.  She had existing medical conditions and was also unvaccinated.

Overall, Barbados has recorded 9,523 confirmed cases of the virus since the start of the pandemic in March last year.

Under the National Vaccination Programme, 39.9 per cent of the total population is fully vaccinated, according to the Ministry of Health.
(SD)