By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas achieved another grim milestone over the weekend after the number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths reached 605, with one senior physician warning the country could be grappling with another coronavirus surge.
Forty-eight virus related deaths were reported in data released by the Ministry of Health between October 3 and October 10.
The nation’s increase in deaths comes as confirmed infection rates appear to be trending downward.
In its daily COVID dashboards, the Ministry of Health reported that 50 cases were recorded on Sunday, 53 on Monday, 43 on Tuesday, 60 on Wednesday, 62 on Thursday, 46 on Friday and 65 on Saturday for a total of 379 cases last week.
The week before saw 537 infections confirmed.
This comes as health officials recorded another 32 cases yesterday, pushing the nation’s confirmed coronavirus case count to 21,723.
In a statement over the weekend, former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands said the alarming number of deaths is proof that the nation’s fight with the deadly virus is far from over.
He said the COVID-19 situation in the country remains dire and added that healthcare workers are now concerned about what “appears to be yet another surge.”
“Colleagues, the COVID-19 challenge remains very serious,” Dr Sands said. “Of greatest concern is the impact of what appears to be yet another surge (in the last few days) that demands the overburdened health system to respond. The huge numbers of deaths speak for themselves. Far too many are critically ill. We do not have the national capacity to manage the current load!
“As context... imagine the outrage and fear felt with 100 murders in a year. We are at 500 plus deaths in the last year...and the outlook remains grim.”
In view of this, the senior physician appealed for Bahamians to get vaccinated and also to continue following the public health measures, warning that many can die in the days ahead.
“Let us recommit to disciplined adherence to public health interventions, (and) encourage persons to get vaccinated. Support the beleaguered healthcare workers and other front-line workers,” Dr Sands said.
“Stay home if you don’t absolutely need to go out. At the risk of being repetitive and worsening COVID-19 fatigue...we are in trouble. Our healthcare teams are attempting to push back the flood of patients. They are exhausted and this battle is far from over.
“The impact on patients with other illnesses cannot be understated... Many will suffer and die that may have been salvageable given different circumstances,” he also said.
In its Thursday, October 7 dashboard, the Ministry of Health reported four COVID-19 deaths. They were all New Providence residents, aged 56 to 67, who died between September 20 and 21.
The deaths confirmed on Friday include two women, aged 78 and 52, who both died September 21 and a 68-year-old woman and 64-year-old man who both died September 22. The victims were all from New Providence.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Health reported an additional six virus-related deaths involving an 88-year-old woman who died September 22; an 85-year-old woman who died September 23; a 44-year-old man who died September 24; a 72-year-old woman who died September 25; a 59-year-old man who died September 30 and a 65-year-old woman who died October 4 – all of whom were from New Providence.
As for the deaths recorded on Sunday, they include a 41-year-old New Providence woman who died September 25; an 84-year-old New Providence woman and 85-year-old New Providence man who both died September 26; an 82-year-old man from New Providence who died September 27 and an 80-year-old man from Eleuthera who died October 2.
At last report, 141 people were in hospital with the disease, 19 of whom are in the intensive care unit.
According to the government’s vaccine tracker, 115,153 people are now fully vaccinated while 238,512 have received at least one vaccine dose.
Comments
carltonr61 2 years, 6 months ago
The same numbers the world over but nations are moving on. The Bahamas is behind the UK in investigating gov mistakes that cause and lead to deaths. UK's major deaths occurred within the start of Covid. Ours began after the start of vaccinations roll-out and continues. UK also saw surges of deaths and hospitizations after roll-out. UK and USA are rushing to Merck and Phyzer Covid Kill Pills as vaccinated Bahamians also will refuse the approaching 3, 4, 5th shot every four months. One of the major leaders in Covid Vax simply rebranded the Ivermectin Protease Inhibitors. The Covid problem solved created a flashback, being Emergency Use Authorization remains valid only as long as there is no cure. If Phyzer Covid Killer gains approval what will the company do with its failed trillion dollar profit making vaccine. PAHO and Sands advise to our people and government remains shamefully four months behind in using current known scientific data and will prolong deaths.
carltonr61 2 years, 6 months ago
Darville can either use current pharma advice and data or push the Sands PAHO of looming 3/4/5/6 booster shots every few months. All data shows vaccines retreat to a lowering 50% after four months making the vaccinated unvaccinated again. Scientific Medical data shows natural immunity lasts at least a year but a Federal Judge ruled against the findings in favor of Vax companies demand to vaccinate as only option.
rosiepi 2 years, 6 months ago
Its sad that there are folks such as this poster who are unable to discern fact from fiction due to their cognitive bias and/or a real lack of cognitive thought processes. Quoting Russian trolls as fact how crazy is that? And your link to CNN proves only that Merck has landed on a drug with perhaps good results that needs a FDA/EMA investigation. The new drug is not Ivermectin
There is no scientific data/study anywhere that shows this so called " natural immunity" beats any vax; And the 'facts' presented here lack veracity. The real problem in the Bahamas is the lack of adequate health facilities/staff and the refusal of the MOH to include the deaths and cases confirmed by the rapid tests they apportioned to employers across the Commonwealth. I know of over 40 cases, and deaths not counted in the Abacos due to a lack of ability to get PCR tests.
carltonr61 2 years, 6 months ago
https://sputniknews.com/20211012/uk-m...">https://sputniknews.com/20211012/uk-m...
carltonr61 2 years, 6 months ago
https://www.rt.com/news/537151-merck-...">https://www.rt.com/news/537151-merck-...
Economist 2 years, 6 months ago
RT is a Russian supported news media outlet used for creating discourse in the West. You ought to fact check anything they say.
carltonr61 2 years, 6 months ago
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/10/11/he...">https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/10/11/he...
OK. Read CNN then. It was major US news. Where do you live, Mars?
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 6 months ago
"t last report, 141 people were in hospital with the disease, 19 of whom are in the intensive care unit."
This is not good. Does 141 exceeds the COVID bed capacity? And 19 in jntensivd care??? Those are bad numbers
TalRussell 2 years, 6 months ago
'Come on,' the premiership of Comrade "Brave" Phillip, I know you can do better than just dust-off and change the light bulbs and voltage for lightin' up Minnis's Covid DashBoard and everything like that. — Yes?
stillwaters 2 years, 6 months ago
The number of patients in ICU remain basically the same in every covid report, but an average of 4-19 patients' deaths are listed in each report. Does this mean the moderately ill are dying......or does it mean that for every dead ICU patient, another takes that vacant bed? So much more information can be given about the rising death rate of patients.
carltonr61 2 years, 6 months ago
Guess we have grab the WHO four month old data and then push third shot booster and child vaccination.
carltonr61 2 years, 6 months ago
https://sputniknews.com/20211012/rese...">https://sputniknews.com/20211012/rese...
Sweden vaccinated are having problems . maybe we should prepare, with our rollout three months behind them we can expect the same results in deaths. As Mrs. Black just advised on radio we should seek some protective measures. They are out there.
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 6 months ago
Moderma is asking the CDCto approve a half dose booster so they can give boosters and supply dises to the overlooked countries. I think theyre afraid of inevitable reports of their vaccine becoming ineffective. Half doses?
temptedbythefruitofanother 2 years, 6 months ago
Russian troll posting. Someone ban this antivax nutjob
bahamianson 2 years, 6 months ago
What the hell? I saw.this.headline and could not believe that it applied to the Bahamas. I am shocked!
tom1912 2 years, 6 months ago
Just to put some perspective on U.K ( The English part) data again on Covid infections and deaths, remember data can be malnipulated by omission
1) 25% of reported Infections in England were caught in hospital.
2) There was no data available/made available of how many of those with covid infection were discharged from hospital cured!
3) That the PCR test should not be used alone to confirm a diagnoses of any viral infection but as a support to all other diagnoses methods. If you don't believe me look up the views of the Nobel Scientist that developed the PCR test who says it was never designed to confirm infections but a method of magnifying very small fragments of virus's DNA/RNA!
4) That the PCR as well as the Lateral Flow tests throw up just as many false positives as it does false negatives so ineffect only about 50% accurate.
5) That England has used PCR test as it's means of caculating the rates of infection
6) It must be remembered that the death rate quoted in England associated with Covid is always stated as died "WITH" covid "NOT" of covid within a 28 day period of being tested positive with a PCR test (An unreliable test) that means anyone say, is discharge from hospital cured of Covid, who dies within the 28 day period of falling off a ladder or has a stroke/heart attack or even in a road traffic accident is put in the headline figures of deaths WITH covid not of covid.
7) During the pandemic of the to deaths in England Covid deaths didn't make the top ten!
8) In August 2021 in England the following were the reasons for deaths in England (ONS figures) as a comparison:- Dementia/Alzheimer's 1,171; Cancer 1156; Heart Disease 1084; Stoke 575; Flu and Pneumonia 308 and Covid 250, so the true pandemic in England Cancer is the pandemic!
carltonr61 2 years, 6 months ago
@1912. You are so right. By February all PCR tests must distinguish cold,flu or covid. For the simple minded there was to cold or flu as covid made them extinct. At the wave of fayci magic hand all flu and colds will appear again. We still don't for sure if vaccinated blood diners who still shed covid virus in their body are infecting already imminocompromised only people then causing covid deaths counts.
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