Laurencia I.A. Smith, Journal Staff Writer
Four more persons in the capital tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total of confirmed COVID-19 cases in The Bahamas to nine, according to Minster of Health Dr. Duane Sands.
Dr. Sands announced the four new confirmed cases yesterday during a press conference at the Ministry of Health.
The country is now experiencing a surge of COVID-19 cases, which health officials predicted.
According to Public Health expert Dr. Marceline Dahl-Regis, based on the preliminary findings of the new cases when patients present symptoms and who they’ve been in contact with, it’s now established that country is in the community spreading stage.
Dr. Sands said one out of the four new cases has a recent travel history to the Dominican Republic on March 13, while the other three have no recent travel history.
“All of the most recently confirmed four cases are in home isolation and are being closely monitored by healthcare professionals. They do not require hospitalization at this time,” Dr. Sands said.
Health officials pointed out that the new cases were not related to the first initial case.
Additionally, it was revealed that two of the new cases are related.
As more new cases of COVID-19 are confirmed around the world, Dr. Sands said in both New Providence and Grand Bahama the Ministry of Health Surveillance Unit is aggressively in the process of conducting contact-tracing.
“The Surveillance Unit has already contacted the large majority of those who were in contact with the initial case. The Ministry of Health Surveillance Unit will use an advanced approach to increase the number of contacts reached in the shortest possible time,” he said.
The minister of health confirmed that 175 persons have been tested in the county for COVID-19, following agreed international protocols.
Dr. Sands said, “To date, we have 2,300 testing kits on the island. We have 60 ventilators and more are on the way to increase the current capacity.
“Thousands of PPE kits have been ordered to boost the supplies that we already have in stock. Three thousand are expected on the ground on Monday and an additional 4,000 will be here by the end of next week.”
The United States has surpassed China with most reported COVID-19 cases in the world.
However, Dr. Sands wants Bahamians to understand the seriousness of this global pandemic.
“It is important that you listen to and follow this advice. Ignoring this advice could lead to you contracting the virus, getting sick and dying,” he said. “Ignoring this advice could lead to the spread of it to your family and friends. They could get sick and die. Ignoring this advice could put doctors, nurses and health care providers and workers at risk who are needed to care of the sick.”