EXTRA testing for COVID-19 is being carried out in Bimini.
The Ministry of Health despatched a team to the island, which was described as a hotspot by Health Minister Dr Duane Sands.
So far, there have been eight confirmed cases in Bimini, while West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe has proposed a plan to lock down the island for two weeks.
Previously, Mrs Parker-Edgecombe had called on Bimini residents to do all they could to prevent the spread of the virus, saying: “I cannot over emphasise the importance of individuals engaging in social distancing at this crucial time. I hereby appeal for all of you to remain indoors as best as possible during the periods identified and if and when going outdoors, ensure complete protection with necessary gear, including, but not limited to face masks.”
On Thursday, it was reported that more than 76 swabs had already been collected on the island as investigations continue following cases there. The island was also the home of the first patient to die from the coronavirus in The Bahamas, Kimberly Johnson-Rolle.
The healthcare team that was dispatched is also conducting extensive contact tracing and health promotion and education on the ground to prevent the spread of the virus.
Comments
Jim 4 years, 7 months ago
Once again, this is a waste of the precious testing kits. If someone is sick and they test positive and you're going to treat them any different than just telling them to quarantine, then test them. Otherwise people should know if they're sick to stay home and quarantine themselves. If they test negative, another waste because they could be harboring the virus and tomorrow they would show positive. A person could have had the virus one month ago and would test negative with type of test that's being done now, so another waste of a test. It is abuse of both time and resources to collect numbers.
Economist 4 years, 7 months ago
"Once again, this is a waste of the precious testing kits." It is not a waste, don't you see that is exactly what everyone else in the world is doing? You need to watch the international news coverage and educate yourself on this.
Also, the kits are only precious because The Bahamas has not taken the offer of Cayman to buy up to 45,000 kits at cost.
"Otherwise people should know if they're sick to stay home and quarantine themselves."
People can be sick and not know it for the first 2 to 3 days and go around infecting several more before thye feel sick. Only testing will find that. That is why the rest of the world is testing in an effort to stop the spred.
Jim 4 years, 7 months ago
International news, such as US - the economy is opening, people are returning to living their lives, not sequestering in their home.
Like you saod "people can be sick and not know it for the first 2 to 3 days." So they are tested during these 2 to 3 days and they will be negative and on day 4 when positive, they are back out "infectimg" people. Unless you think everyone should be tested daily for the next month.
Additionally, reports from North Bimini, during weekend lockdowns and not going out at restricted hours at night-there is not compliance, therr are people out and about and the police cannot handle the situarion.
paulhummerman 4 years, 7 months ago
I respectfully beg to differ. Many of the symptoms of Covid 19 overlap with other conditions, so you need to know who is infected so that you can trace the contacts. Contact tracing is even more difficult than testing, and you can't trace the contacts of all who are sick with conditions other than Covid 19. Furthermore, quarantine at home should be more thorough than for those with related non-Covid 19 conditions, and ideally should involve isolation from even other household members.
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