The Tribune

THE coronavirus has come to the Caribbean – but thankfully not yet The Bahamas.

The announcement of a case in the Dominican Republic, an Italian man who arrived there last month without showing symptoms, only serves to reinforce the need for vigilance here at home.

A total of 67 countries now have at least one confirmed case of the coronavirus – and as a nation that thrives on tourism, welcoming visitors from all nations, the obvious concern is that one of those arrivals on our shores will unwittingly bring the virus with them.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis was keen to reassure Bahamians that the government will not take any chances. That word “doctor” at the front of his name helps – this isn’t a case, unlike some other nations, where you’re not sure that the leader understands the problem. As a medical man, Dr Minnis realises the risk.

No further travel restrictions have been introduced yet – only the Chinese travel ban remains in place, although Bahamians are urged against non-essential travel to Italy, Iran and South Korea.

The announcement that the country has 50 testing kits for the virus is less reassuring – that number is due to increase with more on order, but that seems a very small number so far given the huge number of visitors arriving each day.

The country’s chief medical officer assures the public that 50 is enough for testing people who have symptoms and the history of travel through infected countries – but the case in the Dominican Republic was a man who didn’t have symptoms when he arrived. What then?

Travelling through US airports recently reinforced the sense of concern in the public – with many people wearing face masks as they waited for their flights.

Beyond the testing kits, the Ministry of Health assures us that there are ample supplies of protective equipment for medics who have to deal with those with symptoms – and work has begun to prepare the hospital for a possible outbreak.

In short, the government is saying it is on the way to being ready. We hope that is the case.

For ourselves, there are measures we can also take. Wash our hands frequently with an alcohol-based hand rub or with soap and water. Keep your distance – the World Health Organization recommends a metre (three feet) – from anyone coughing or sneezing. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. If you cough or sneeze, either use a tissue that you dispose of immediately or use your bent elbow. Most of all, stay informed, and stay home if you feel unwell – and telephone first of all for medical attention. Employers can encourage staff with symptoms to stay home too if they present symptoms to avoid spreading it throughout the workforce.

There is a lot that the government can do to try to limit the virus if it does reach our shores – and we’re sure there is more that can be done yet by authorities. But we can also play a part ourselves.

Who will lead the recruits?

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force is to increase by a third of its current number – from 1500 to 2000 by 2022.

The announcement came from National Security Minister Marvin Dames – though curiously he was not very specific about why the country needed an extra 500 marines.

The obvious answer is to deal with immigration, and he did point out that the southern border remains a top priority. The extra 500 troops will add to new radar tools and the purchase of ships under the last government to try to catch illegal migrants before they land.

He also spoke about the acting commander “working on promotions” for members of the force, another sign that current commander Tellis Bethel probably isn’t returning any time soon from his enforced vacation. The last we heard of him from Mr Dames was that he might be out of office until April. We suspect that he’ll be gone a lot longer than that with the way that Mr Dames reassigns senior officers returning from vacation.

We hope, for the sake of the new recruits he envisages arriving in the marines in the next two years, that he doesn’t neglect the need for experienced heads to teach the arrivals how to get the job done.