Coronavirus

Death toll has reached 100 NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Health officials reported six additional deaths on Monday, though only one was confirmed as COVID-19-related. An 85-year-old woman of New Providence became the latest victim of the virus. The other five deaths were being investigated. Additionally, three previous deaths under investigation were also confirmed as COVID-related today. The confirmed deaths include a...

Remaining healthcare workers experienced burnout NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A total of 243 healthcare professionals have been infected with the coronavirus, Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan revealed yesterday. These include 116 healthcare workers at Princess Margaret Hospital, 38 at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, 54 at the Grand Bahama Health Facility, 16 among public health facilities in the Family Islands, and 19 in...

Exposure data only available for 31 percent of cases NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Health Renward Wells said yesterday there has been a consistent trend of workplace exposures in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in The Bahamas. At a press conference yesterday, Wells said data has led officials to determine the workplace as a “hot spot” for the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas recorded another confirmed COVID-19 death and 101 new cases yesterday, with the number of cases in New Providence now exceeding 3,000. A 75-year-old man of New Providence died from the virus on Tuesday. There have been 96 confirmed deaths in The Bahamas. Another 15 deaths remain under investigation. Of the 101 new infections, there were...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Opposition Leader Philip Brave Davis said yesterday there has not been enough COVID-19 testing or contact tracing in place to stop “a few cases from turning into a few thousand” in The Bahamas. During debate in Parliament, Davis reflected on the country’s borders reopening to international commercial carriers on July 1, noting that by early August, the virus...

Only seven of the 17 HOA staffers have tested for the virus since September 9 exposure NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Speaker of the House of Assembly Halson Moultrie yesterday expressed concerns about the possibility of institutional spread of COVID-19 in the House of Assembly after another member of Parliament tested positive for the virus. He once again recommended for all parliamentarians to...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — New cases of the coronavirus in The Bahamas trended upward 35 percent in the last week compared to the week before. Between September 20 and September 26, there were 523 recorded cases of the virus. During the period September 13 through September 19, there were 387 new cases, a decrease of eight percent over the 422 cases...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has said recovered cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas continue to have suffer debilitating health issues, some of which could last for “many years or a lifetime” as he warned that the full impact of the virus remains unclear. The prime minister made the statement during debate on a resolution to extend...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday said it is possible for The Bahamas to face a third wave of COVID-19 infections, but it has the right “ammunition” to prevent that. The prime minister stressed the best defense against the coronavirus is wearing a mask. He made the statement during debate on a resolution to extend the state...

Former health minister says testing insufficient to justify full reopening NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Underscoring the country's coronavirus cases and deaths per capita, former Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands said notwithstanding the hard work and noble efforts, the nation is “not winning this battle” against COVID-19. The Bahamas ranks 36 out of 215 countries and territories around the world in...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A state of emergency in The Bahamas will be extended to October 31. Parliament passed a resolution to extend the measure in the House of Assembly yesterday. While opposition members, including Centreville MP Reece Chipman, an independent, voted against the extension, governing members carried the vote. Former Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands abstained. He has called for...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance K Peter Turnquest yesterday acknowledged that the country’s fiscal headroom is “narrowing” as it faces roughly $9 billion worth of debt. Turnquest said it was “unfortunate but necessary” for the government to borrow $1.3 billion this fiscal year to mitigate the fall-out from COVID-19 on the heels of Hurricane Dorian....

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — British Colonial Hilton has advised staff members that it will extend its temporary suspension of operations until further notice, citing the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in the country. In a letter to its staff on Friday, the hotel said: "We were hoping to resume our operations in October but unfortunately, this is not the case. "We continue to...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Director of Labour John Pinder said yesterday that while adherence to COVID-19 protocols has improved on construction sites, there continues to be too many instances of breaches among the industry. According to Pinder, inspectors from the Occupational Health and Safety Unit (OHSU) continue to visit construction sites across New Providence to ensure adherence to protocols. He said...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Former Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands said yesterday he will not support an extension of the emergency orders for another month, and called on the return of parliamentary democracy where legislators and the people whom they represent can determine the way forward. “I believe that this matter of COVID will be with us for some time and...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Social Services Frankie Campbell said yesterday that the department is currently processing rental assistance after months of delay in the program. Campbell sought to assure individuals who have applied for the program but have yet to receive a response from officials on the matter. However, he could not provide further details on how many people...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Central and South Abaco MP James Albury said because the construction industry represents a major hotspot for COVID-19, Abaco is in a “precarious situation” as reconstruction forges on. Infections on the island continue to rise, albeit more slowly in recent weeks. “It’s something that is on everyone’s mind, including my own,” Albury told Eyewitness News. “We’re in...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government has provided more than $13.2 million to the National Food Distribution Programme (NFDP) to date, according to Social Services Minister Frankie Campbell. The program - which is a private-public partnership with numerous non-governmental organizations - was launched to help provide food assistance to the most vulnerable in the country throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. During a...