The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A Royal Bahamas Defence Force member has tested positive for COVID-19.

“The individual has been admitted for medical care and the force’s medical team is currently conducting intensive contact tracing to confirm other members who may have been exposed and recommended for self-quarantine,” the RBDF announced.

The RBDF member is among several new cases reported by officials yesterday, including two Cat Island residents. There was also speculation of possible new cases on Cat Cay, but West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Pakesia Parker Edgecombe told The Tribune up to press time that she had received nothing official from the Ministry of Health confirming new cases there.

“I can confirm that there is investigations into these cases,” Mrs Parker-Edgecombe said when contacted. “Whether or not these cases are confirmed, I have not gotten anything official from the Ministry of Health and. . .I continue to try and reach health officials before I go on record as stating that there are confirmed cases.”

Attempts to reach Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Delon Brennen were unsuccessful up to press time.

The ministry reported Cat Cay’s first confirmed case back in April, which was a 36-year-old woman with no history of travel.

Yesterday, The Tribune reported that it understands that several police officers are among the recent new Grand Bahama cases and some are in quarantine.

Inspector Sonny Miller, chairman of the Police Staff Association, said some officers are fearful.

“Speaking with some of the officers in Grand Bahama, there is heightened alert and the officers are very, very cautious and some might be in fear,” he said on Monday. “We must remain focused and committed and this is just one of those times when the officers are placed in a position again to put country above their self. I have gotten reports that members have been affected by it and there is some testing going on now involving officers. A number of officers are in fear because Grand Bahama is a tight-knit area where the officers are closer, unlike us in New Providence that are spread out wider.”