Wednesday, April 01, 2020

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Guyana records second death from COVID-19

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) Guyana has recorded its second death from COVID-19 as health officials yesterday confirmed that there were now 12 positive cases of the new coronavirus in the country.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Karen Boyle, speaking at the daily COVID-19 briefing, said a total of 52 people had been tested and another 43 are in institutional quarantine, while dozens more are on home quarantine.

The Ministry of Public Health had earlier confirmed that a 38-year-old man died yesterday at the coronavirus Intensive Care Unit and was one of the two individuals who were recently moved to the unit after testing positive for the virus. He is reported to have had underlying medical conditions.

Antigua PM announces 24-hour curfew

ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC) Prime Minister Gaston Browne yesterday announced a 24-hour curfew for the next seven days beginning tomorrow, after berating the people of Antigua and Barbuda for not taking seriously the threats posed by COVID-19, which has killed more than 35,000 people worldwide since last December.

Browne, who sought parliamentary approval for the state of emergency (SOE) that was announced over the last weekend, said the SOE would remain in effect for the next 60 days, but could be extended if the virus continues to exist.

He told legislators that he was disappointed that many people, despite the 10-hour curfew announced last week, were continuing to congregate, go on beach limes as well as gather at various places, dismissing the social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

This is a clarion call for Antiguans and Barbudans to stay at home, he said, warning that anyone found loitering on the streets will be arrested and fined EC$5,000 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) and/or six months in jail.

Dominica considering lockdown of island on weekends

ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) The Dominica Government is considering a total lockdown of the island on the weekends, in addition to allowing certain activities to take place in specified time periods during the week.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, speaking on the State-owned DBS radio on Monday night, said that the Government is also contemplating continuing the measures that had been put in place when the island was placed under a lockdown last weekend.

For example, we will allow for the grocery shops to open in the villages and the supermarkets to open, but for a specific time frame, maybe from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm (local time), the supermarkets could open on weekdays but on weekends the entire country should be shut down, Skerrit told radio listeners.

He also said a recommendation regarding public transport is also under discussion given that many buses here have been licensed to carry as many as 16 passengers.

Dominica has so far recorded 12 cases of COVID-19 with the latest victim being a 70-year-old woman from the northern village of Concord.

Bermuda's COVID-19 total jumps to 27

HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) Bermuda has recorded a further five confirmed cases of COVID-19, taking the island's total to 27, Premier David Burt announced on Monday night.

Tests showed three of the new cases were imported ones while two had close contact with a previously confirmed case. All of the imported cases arrived on British Airways flights from London's Gatwick Airport on March 13, 15, and 17.

Burt told a news conference that of the island's 27 total cases, two remained in hospital in stable condition, 15 were mostly at home with mild symptoms, and 10 have fully recovered. One of the 27 is a police employee.

Burt added that there were still no confirmed cases of community transmission in Bermuda of the virus, which has claimed more than 35,000 lives globally.

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Around the Caribbean...Around the Caribbean...Around the Caribbean - Jamaica Observer