Suspect patients breaching isolation

Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan.

As of Thursday, April 16, 2020

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH officials yesterday admitted that the self-isolation method they’ve prescribed to suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases is not working, adding they are currently reviewing the measure.

Officials have discussed the use of electronic wristbands to track those ordered to isolate due to COVID-19 infection or suspected exposure.

According to Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan, local medical experts have learned that some people asked to self-isolate are not following recommendations, suggesting in some instances the patients have been found mingling in public.

She made the admission yesterday during a Ministry of Health press conference when asked by The Tribune if remain at home directives were being followed by those in quarantine.

She was also asked to explain the drastic jump in quarantine numbers. Dr McMillan explained that on Cat Cay, off Bimini, more than 200 people were quarantined after it was believed they all came into contact with a confirmed case there.

Yesterday, health officials said the number in quarantine increased to 895 from 712.

“As it relates to the method of quarantine and isolation and the monitoring of those persons certainly we have our concerns with that as well,” Dr McMillan said. “It has come to our attention that some of the persons that we asked to self-isolate and self-quarantine are not following what we recommend. So we are actually reviewing and revising how we could potentially strengthen that as we realise that that is a key component of us being able to actually control what is happening as it relates to new cases.

“As I said we utilise both methods of self-quarantine, self-isolation or mandatory but we are definitely looking at how we will strengthen our monitoring and ensure that persons actually self quarantine and self isolate when we ask that to happen.”

Explaining how officials intend to monitor those who have been asked to self-quarantine, health consultant to the Office of the Prime Minister, Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis said options for tracking were being explored.

She said: “That was a very spirited discussion that we had on what might be used to facilitate contact tracing and I am sure that that question was predicated on the use of bands, hand bands with a chip in it, and to work with telecommunications companies to really identify the location and the compliance.

“That has been the most recent suggestion recognising that we don’t have enough ankle bracelets and that would be rather draconian, but we are looking at an application that we can use and that’s cost effective because we recognise that what we’re doing is not working.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Delon Brennen said the eastern portion of New Providence is no longer identified as a hotspot for the spread of the virus as was previously noted by officials. He said local disease experts were finding cases had spread to various parts of the island.

“What we found is as we continue to expand the number of cases we’re finding along with the number of contacts in those cases there is definitely an expansion of our reach when it comes to those cases and so it's no longer one part of the island we are seeing cases pop up throughout the island whether that’s west, central, south, (or) east. None of us are necessarily safe on any part of the island so anywhere could be affected.

“In New Providence it is not a far distance to get from east to west or north to south and so we all need to be vigilant in making sure we don’t consider ourselves to be immune from this and that we take it seriously,” he said.

Porcupine 4 years ago

This is the result of a population of people, not an exception in the world, of placing one's selfish, immature and uneducated interests ahead of ALL of the rest of society. There is no solution to this once people are past childhood, where they would have learned respect, reading and writing, and social considerations that teach that we are all part of a whole. We have never evidenced this way of thinking. At this point, if we really wanted compliance, we have to lock these people up. Sad, truly, but we have never cultivated concern for the other. Yes, I know, Christianity teaches this. But, when was the last time anyone saw evidence of a Christian society, anywhere?

Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years ago

"....... if we really wanted compliance, we have to lock these people up."

@Porcupine: Surely you appreciate we have no means by which to lock-up the majority of the population of The Bahamas; the same majority that keeps voting for a corrupt and/or incompetent political candidate every 5 years.

Porcupine 4 years ago

I agree. I do not believe we can, nor should, lock people up, as in some countries. I am only looking at the solutions at hand. I believe in freedom of speech, of movement, of ideas. Yet, to have these things requires people are brought up to speed on our responsibilities, as well. With freedom, comes responsibility. When a society has more than a handful of fathers who don't "check" for their kids you can be assured that responsibility is NOT their national strength.

Bonefishpete 4 years ago

Not like the Bahamas doesn't have a spare island to quarantine them on.

ohdrap4 4 years ago

I thought that was what the Corona hotel was for.

joeblow 4 years ago

Almost one month ago I had suggested in an unpublished letter to the Editor of the Tribune that all confirmed COVID 19 positive cases should have ankle bracelets to ensure they stayed home! Oh well!

moncurcool 4 years ago

What crime have they been charged with to have ankle bracelets?

ohdrap4 4 years ago

They are guilty of being suspected.

The headline reads: SUSPECT PATIENTS.

Not potential patients or exposed patients. SUSPECT.

How did they find them "mingling"? The witch next door called?

joeblow 4 years ago

@moncurcool... my reasoning can be strange, but if a person is KNOWN to have a highly contagious killer disease, that is spread by talking or coughing and they are ordered to be confined to the home, then a means should be available to ensure that they do not leave the home to infect others outside of the home. If they leave the home they should be charged with public endangerment! But how can you know if they leave the home if you do not have a means to monitor them???

shonkai 4 years ago

Why don't these people get TESTED? Once a week or so, or are we still being lied to about the number of test kits? Hearing that you have to isolate yourself for an unspecified time is hard on someone. Give these people something to hold on to.

mandela 4 years ago

compliance! Bahamians know nothing of and have no understanding or respect for this word. We love to break rules and laws. Sadly.

stillwaters 4 years ago

Publish their names.....then you can be sure the rest of society will do your jobs for you in making them stay their bodies and germs at home.

Porcupine 4 years ago

I like that. It made me smile. And, you are right. However, as in India and other places sometimes the mob gets a bit carried away. To say the least.

ohdrap4 4 years ago

Just open whatever you can of the economy.

What is the pt of lockdown if quarentined ones do not obey?

This is a case where one monkey can spoil the show.

stillwaters 4 years ago

The whole dang show

Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years ago

Dr McMillan said. “It has come to our attention that some of the persons that we asked to self-isolate and self-quarantine are not following what we recommend."

Oh really! She can't possibly be serious that instances of non-compliance with self-quarantining have only just come to her attention. Does McMillan expect us to believe she's been living in a cocoon with little or no inter-action with people in our society? Or she is one of the dullest crayons in the box?

Speaking of dull crayons, did our healthcare officials ever stop to think that many of those exposed to the Red China Virus could not self-quarantine because they had no means of getting food other than by going to the food store themselves? What a joke!

TalRussell 4 years ago

The 35 House elected Red Shirts MP's incompetents keep on signing up for humiliation come the general election!
What manner sentencing guidelines did the red government follow when there were no committees of consultative comrades formed asks, if it's okay for the colony's First amongst equals to overnight decide levy fines of $500 - $1,500 against, and jail the Homeless and the out paycheques PopoulacesOredinary for much lesser curfew and masks wearing violations. Nod once for yeah, twice for no?

stillwaters 4 years ago

This virus is going to be here for a long while, so we need to figure out how to live with the virus. We cannot keep hiding from it, society will soon revert to lawlessness. Figure out what to do to make it safe to live with the virus........whether we like it or not, we have new tenants.....and how to stay safe while we are up and about outside

stillwaters 4 years ago

Work out a protocol of how to dress and act when outside or at work. Another protocol of steps to take when arriving back home.......we can't stay locked up much longer.

TalRussell 4 years ago

Some is so life-term jail-able deserving nasty smelling!
Not meaning you be walking around town all nosy bout private stuff... but what say you Comrade Still, if we pass public health ordinances to hold PopoulacesOrdinary, accountable for significant noticeably increases in damage that their constant flatulence passing gases in public is having on colony's clean-air environment. Just imagine be government ordered have shelter-at-home with family four likes these? Can't just write this stuff, just, can't.

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