NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville assured yesterday that there is no need to panic over the revelation that COVID-19 cases are on the rise in the country, noting that the current strain appears to be "very mild."
"We all know that there is a new variant, and with the winter months, it seems to be spreading in a lot of the cities where we have tourists coming in. For us, we did see a small spike. We are assessing it," he said.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness revealed that over the past six weeks, 36 cases have been officially identified, and one death linked to the virus has been reported in Grand Bahama. Of the 36 reported cases, 26 were reported in December, with Grand Bahama recording eleven cases in the past two weeks.
In New Providence, two persons are hospitalized after testing positive for the virus. None of the cases require intensive care management. To date, a total of 28,423 confirmed cases have been recorded in the Bahamas since the epidemic began. Confirmed COVID-19-related deaths remain at 846, with an additional 12 Deaths Under Investigation (DUI).
Dr Darville noted: "We want the Bahamian people to understand that COVID is still alive and still around and that everyone needs to practice sanitation measures. These measures are proving to be very effective in reducing the spread. One of the good things is even though we have seen a small spike, there seems to be very little activity at the ICU level and the admissions are very low. The strain seems to be very mild."
He further stated: "There is no need to panic. The Ministry of Health is on top of it."
The Ministry of Health & Wellness said that it remains vigilant in its monitoring of disease trends that could pose possible public health concerns for the Bahamian population, especially trends within the region.
"Currently, neighboring countries have noted increases in viral respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19 infections. In addition, visits to public health facilities for influenza-like illnesses within the region have increased. The COVID-19 virus (SARS CoV-2), influenza B, influenza A, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been responsible for most of these recorded cases," the Ministry wrote in a statement.
"The public is encouraged to practice good respiratory hygiene, such as covering the mouth and nose with a tissue while sneezing and coughing and disposing of the tissue into a trash can after use. Persons are also advised to practice proper hand hygiene using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer after disposing of the tissue. Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette also include measures such as having people who are coughing stay at least three feet away from others and wearing face masks while in common spaces."
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