NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The increasing number of coronavirus cases in the country, particularly in New Providence, has created an immense strain and risks a collapse of the healthcare system, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday.
The prime minister made the revelation during an address to Parliament, following Cabinet’s meeting on Tuesday with the Pan-American Health Organization and World Health Organization representative to The Bahamas, and the government’s health consultant and representatives of the Ministry of Health.
Minnis announced increased restrictions for New Providence and Abaco, including a “full, 24-hour weekend curfew” over the upcoming holiday weekend and beyond, amid continued rising COVID cases on the islands.
“The persistently high case numbers, particularly on New Providence, have placed immense strain on our healthcare system and our medical professionals,” he said.
“Our hospitals are full. Medical teams have been pushed to their capacity.
“If there is further deterioration in the COVID-19 situation on our most populated island, we risk a collapse of the healthcare system.”
As of yesterday, there were 4,713 confirmed cases in The Bahamas and 102 deaths. Another 13 deaths are still under investigation.
The full, 24-hour weekend curfew will begin on Friday at 7pm and end on Tuesday at 5am.
The nightly curfew on Mondays through Fridays will be in effect between 7pm and 5am beginning next week Tuesday, October 13.
Only certain essential services will be permitted during the full weekend curfew.
Minnis said the current situation on Abaco and New Providence requires the new restrictions to reduce infections and, most importantly, to save lives – with deaths averaging one per day.
“We seek to implement what is reasonable and necessary for a period of time to reduce sickness and death,” he said.
“When these goals are achieved and cases are reduced, we remove these measures so that people may get back to a greater level of normalcy in their lives and livelihoods.”
The prime minister said health officials are setting a goal with targets and timelines that will measure the impact of the restrictive measures and the likely success of mitigating the transmission of COVID-19 in New Providence and Abaco over the next 14 days.
“The ultimate measure of success would mean that the number of new cases is no longer increasing, hospitalizations are decreasing, a reduction in the need for ICU cares and a decrease in the number of COVID-19 related deaths,” he added.
“The success of these measures will inform whether more restrictive measures are needed or if measures can be relaxed.”
Minnis advised that as part of enforcement efforts all fines for breaching protocols, except for mask violations will be doubled.
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