Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis speaks on Friday.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE recent surge of COVID-19 cases prompted Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on Friday to reinstate a weekend lockdown and implement a new 7pm to 5am curfew midweek.
The weekend lockdown is from 10pm on Friday until 5am on Monday.
During that time, you may not leave your residence for any purpose except emergency medical care or to purchase food (unless you are an essential worker).
Grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies will be allowed to operate from 7am-5pm over the weekend.
Dr Minnis said indoor and outdoor dining at all restaurants will be prohibited starting Monday, as will all congregant events like religious services, sporting events, group exercises and social gatherings.
Graveside funerals and weddings will be permitted with a maximum of five people. Salons, barbershops and spas can have one client per service provider in a building at a time and gyms must close. Commercial business activity must be completed by 6pm.
Dr Minnis added that on Tuesday inter-island travel will be discontinued.
“Public health officials are closely monitoring indicators to determine whether more or less stringent measures will be required going forward,” he said.
Officials announced that 42 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were recorded on Friday, 35 on Grand Bahama, five on New Providence and two on the Berry Islands.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan said: “Grand Bahama has become the hotspot or epicenter for COVID-19 in the Bahamas. After having no new cases for some 64 days, Grand Bahama has now exceeded New Providence in the number of confirmed cases.
“July 8, 2020 marked the beginning of our second wave and in just the last three weeks New Providence has seen a 45 percent increase in cases, from 82 to 119; Grand Bahama has seen a 119 percent increase in cases, from 10 to 120; Bimini, including Cat Cay, has seen a 50 percent increase in cases, from 14 to 21.”
She said in the second wave of cases, COVID-19 is more widespread, is affecting more people under 40 and shows faster initial growth.
Grand Bahama, she said, is facing a challenge with bed capacity, with 11 of its 16 beds occupied by hospitalized patients.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 4 months ago
could someone please ask them at the conference if they really believe a tourist experiencing mild symptoms will report it. This July 1 rushed opening without proper milestones is the sole cause for the spike.
Also how do we know a Bahamian returni g infected wasn't Infected by a tourist on the same flight?
ISpeakFacts 4 years, 4 months ago
They're also stupid enough to believe the unruly D- population will quarantine for 14 days after traveling from the U.S 🤣
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 4 months ago
their planning is off. they're relying on too many good news stories and not fleshing out all the scenarios. This exponential spike was predictable... so if it was and you had people in the room thinking and allowed to express their views, the next question is how do you prevent it? the answer would not have been a 10 day old test as the sole protection.
momoyama 4 years, 4 months ago
You keep going on about this D- population. Do you know what it means? d is simply the middle letter between A and G, which says nothing really. What do you think the educational attainment of the average American is? A-plus?
The (British) ex-principal of St. Andrew's (where I had the misfortune to attend) was lost in amazement that Bahamians kept repeating this nonsense, which as meaningless and painted a totally false picture of educational attainment in The Bahamas.
Go visit a state school in Liverpool or Hull, then come back to The Bahamas and you will get an appreciation of what I mean. Sadly, it is a lack of exposure that seems to inform views like yours.
Look into things yourself, rather than just repeating things that seep into your head via popular chit chat.
newcitizen 4 years, 3 months ago
Wait, you went to St Andrews and think you know anything about the general level of education in this country?
tribanon 4 years, 3 months ago
LOL
ISpeakFacts 4 years, 4 months ago
The entire press conference was just EMBARRASSING!
THIS COUNTRY IS A COMPLETE JOKE!!!
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 4 months ago
we need that graph showing exponential growth to be superimposed with the relevant health ministers name
WETHEPEOPLE 4 years, 4 months ago
The joke is these idiots we put in power who cant seem to make any logical decissions. There is no planning ornproactive measures, everything is just whim of the moment choices. Flights from the mighty hot spots continue, yet the PM is asking Bahamians not to travel. Im ready to travel just to get away from this incompentent government.
momoyama 4 years, 4 months ago
These idiots YOU put in power. Some of us were smart enough to vote PLP
newcitizen 4 years, 3 months ago
Voting for the PLP proves, in fact, that you are just as smart as the people voting for the FNM
tribanon 4 years, 3 months ago
LMAO
Clamshell 4 years, 4 months ago
Are they still allowin’ those packed 50-foot party yachts from Florida to crowd all the island marinas?
ISpeakFacts 4 years, 4 months ago
Yes, and our international borders remain open!
Clamshell 4 years, 4 months ago
Pure greed from the marina owners. They don’t care who they kill so long as their cash registers are ringin’.
bogart 4 years, 4 months ago
Good point Clamshell. Apart from the party yacht situation coming, the authorities must be aware that Florida has seems huge capital collection of yachts and there is industry in charter yachts. There must be in mind of Florida has population of some 22 million population seeing increasing persons affected. Just as any Bahamian on island facing similar situation it would seem likely that Floridians would want to see safer refuge elsewhere including coming to Bahamas.
Clamshell 4 years, 4 months ago
Thanx, Bogart. Here’s a case in point: On Harbour Island, off Eleuthera — which thus far has miraculously escaped any infections — the manager of the Romora Bay Marina and Resort is flooding newspapers and the yachting press with gleeful cheers for the yacht crowd to fire up their engines and head over to his marina.
This guy is a major player in the Bahamas Marina Association, and he also is a partner in a Miami-based yacht supply company, so he’s trying to keep his cash registers ringing in both nations, no matter how many people he might infect on Eleuthera. Why the government allows this loophole to remain open is beyond me. A virus does not pick-and-choose whether it’s arriving via jetliner or a covid-cesspool yacht out of Miami. SMH.
ISpeakFacts 4 years, 4 months ago
Sadly, many many many deaths are coming thanks to the "incompetent authority", Grand Bahama is still surging and they only have SIXTEEN Chinese Virus beds total on the island, with ELEVEN already occupied. New Providence on the other hand only has THIRTY beds total, meanwhile the other family islands have ZERO Chinese Virus beds.
Like always, this country can't do anything right... and now lives will be lost!
hj 4 years, 4 months ago
So because of your incompetence,and your spur of the moment decisions not only the health of the people is at risk but also you are making sure the economy will never recover. Great job,at the ends looks like Bahamians will be sick and broke
ISpeakFacts 4 years, 4 months ago
Does anyone know why the idiotic PM is running away from questions and throwing a tantrum? Like I and many have said before, this Chinese Virus is exposing Hubert "Idiot" Minnis for what he really is, and the whole world is watching. He is clearly not ready for PRIME TIME this job is too big for his D- educated brain!
RealTalk 4 years, 4 months ago
The Tribune is always trolling with the headline image 😂😂😂
DDK 4 years, 4 months ago
No one except da muddas are certain this particular Corona virus ACTUALLY originated in China!!!
DDK 4 years, 4 months ago
For Goodness sake, Mr. PM, GET A LIFE!!!
My2Cents 4 years, 4 months ago
This press conference was a disaster and one of the lowest points in this Administration’s history. I recall thinking to myself in the run up to the last election that Dr. Minnis isn’t qualified to be an effective MP, let alone PM. This press conference sealed the deal. I still respect him, but it’s obvious now as it was then that he lacks the leadership, judgement and decision-making capabilities you would expect in the leader of a country. Mr. Christie would have done a far better job in his old age. Besides, our finances have only gotten worse, and that’s the only reason the county took a gamble on Dr. Minnis and the rest of the clown show.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 4 months ago
I'm thinking if we continue to attack the figurehead, even if its warranted, the problem will never go away. The problem is the FNM and PLP machines. They spit out these people who have to constantly cowtow to the machine behind the curtain. It's incredible that none of cabinet has any experience in planning and DAguilar makes a public statement which noone refutes that planning is completely unnecessary. I recall saying years ago a requirement for all candidates should be project management certification and a course in public administration we can't hand over our country to Travis no matter how much we want to give the young people a chance. Let them show they have some management and organization skills then give them a chance
My2Cents 4 years, 3 months ago
Agreed. Both parties allow politics and connections to determine who will run for office rather than selecting candidates with true vision and proven leadership and management capabilities. Totally with you on the ‘give our young people a chance’ notion pushed by many. There’s no reason why any party can’t find candidates with the life experience and talent necessary to be an effective lawmaker and representative. Making decisions on behalf of a country requires so much more than being well-spoken and generating excitement. Both parties continue to fail us in that regard, though one more so than the other.
BONEFISH 4 years, 3 months ago
All of the political parties in the Bahamas operate like private member clubs. Persons are selected to run for a variety of reasons.A well -known individual advocated the development of real local government.The local government if organized with sense would serve as a training ground for national government. These politicians here could not last six months as county commissioners next door in Dade County and would not even talk about them being a council man or woman in a city like Toronto.
mandela 4 years, 4 months ago
How depressing just to see the PM's face, without even hearing a word or him speak, how depressing.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 4 months ago
Saturday needs to be opened. How exactly are persons who work 9-5 supposed to do anything? Food stores and gas stations are great but life demands other necessities. car parts, mechanic work, shoes, household supplies, equipment repair etc etc etc. This Saturday lock down and 7pm curfew is ridiculous. Who is doing the thinking? we're gonna go through another 3 months of restrictions and reopen to the same foolishness because they can't think. Why not leave Saturday open till 7pm weekdays 9pm? I am tired of this learning by mistakes approach.
And one cluster I'd like them to report on is the cluster linked to the infected illegal immigrant and the defence force officers who detained him. The cluster that caught the DPM. Thats not travel related. How many people got infected as a result of that?
truetruebahamian 4 years, 4 months ago
Not at all well thought out - and shutting down the beaches in all islands - well We won't be bothering to listen to that!
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 4 months ago
This is very frustrating because they didn't have to lockdown at all. I proposed a solution to them in March, thats 5 months ago, that would have removed the need for full lockdowns. Now they back to the same nonsense. In September we'll open up for the 3rd round of infections.
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 3 months ago
You proposed? Who are you? What's your medical experience? You proposed? Delusion of grandeur perhaps?
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 3 months ago
Yes little ole me
The solution literally had nothing to do with anything medical, I have a brain and I can think. It was all about a way we could open the local economy safely. As to "me" proposing and who am I...anyone could propose anything, the recipient listens or they don't. I've heard countless "ordinary" people talk about proposals they made to govt officials and none of them sounded delusional.
What youre insinuating is quite scary and exactly why we're in this mess, youre perpetuating this myth that you have to be "somebody" to have a good idea or even be heard. Dat een been working so good.
If you read my comments last year I believe, I proposed a way for shotspotter to be effective and I've never been in the military, imagine that. A few months later I heard the national security minister repeat the proposal almost word for word. Whether he or someone else saw the comment is irrelevant the point is anyone could think of any good thing because the source of "all good things" een too picky about the vessel. In fact they prefer the ones that have people like you saying "who dey is"
TalRussell 4 years, 3 months ago
Comrade ThisIsOurs, must listen to them, okay. After all, you're no Dr Renward...but has asks, are you a certified Holy Roller Bible Thumper. Just, couldn't make this stuff up. Nod Once for Yeah, Twice for No?
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 3 months ago
true, I have to get my seminary training in
mandela 4 years, 3 months ago
This no second wave, this is the same first wave that was handled poorly after getting to week upon weeks without no new cases, had they not been so lazy and tested citizen returning from infested USA we would not be in this mess today.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 3 months ago
agree
lilrobo 4 years, 3 months ago
really dont see how we vacationers that are on a 5 to 7 days trip can quarantine for 14 days , we get a neg test 7 days before dont see the problem , i am wondering were all these case came from if everyone had a neg test ,
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 3 months ago
The thing is you can still get infected anytime from when you took the test to when you get here.
It would be better if they tested on arrival in additional to the pre test, get the results in a day and you're cleared to walk around before curfew time for 6 days. Since they're not testing on arrival I'm assuming they don't have the money to do it. Quarantine could also pose a risk. A mildly symptomatic individual could leave quarantine and still infect someone. Worse infect them while they're leaving the country...
The reality is travel is a risky proposition everywhere for the traveller and the destination. You see the hotels here aren't willing to take the risk. My personal opinion they rushed the border opening to put a were opened feather in their cap without full consideration of the risks. Thats the reason we have 200 active cases in 2 weeks.
You let the lion out the cage you can't blame the lion for eating people, who open the cage?
DWW 4 years, 3 months ago
so what if there was a national database of infected persons? that way i know not to go round lolita them
sheeprunner12 4 years, 3 months ago
non disclosure of Covid19 medical identity .......... but they all over the place breaking quarantine ............. makes no sense to general public
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