79 new cases of COVID-19, one additional death

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Seventy-nine additional coronavirus cases have been confirmed today, taking the country’s total number of positive COVID-19 cases to 1,610.

Another COVID-19-related death was also recorded, pushing the total to 23.

Health officials said an 84-year-old woman of New Providence passed away this morning.

Of the new cases, 70 were in New Providence, eight in Grand Bahama, and one in Eleuthera.

The Ministry of Health indicated that 211 people have recovered, up from the 209 reported on Wednesday.

There are now 62 people in the hospital.

There were 1,296 active cases.

A total of 8,449 tests have been performed, according to the ministry’s dashboard.

A nightly curfew remains in effect between 10pm and 5am for all islands, except Mayaguana, Inagua, Chub Cay, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay, Ragged Island and Spanish Wells.

The government released new emergency orders yesterday including provisions for essential services, including laundromats to operate daily from 6am to 9pm.

The ‘Emergency Powers (COVID 19 Pandemic) (Storm Preparedness) Order, 2020 mandates that all businesses shall remain closed except for named essential services.

These include hospitals, law enforcement agencies, air, maritime and disaster preparedness authorities, customs, the National Insurance Board, social services, waste disposal and sanitization, the government’s food distribution task force, essential workers, including contractors and subcontractors, public and private utilities providers, and range of freight and shipping suppliers and companies and their employees.

However, in the event of emergencies, an individual must seek the permission from the commissioner of police to leave his residence by calling 311 or the nearest police station.