Health Minister Dr Duane Sands.
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
A BAHAMIAN returning to the country from China on Thursday was placed in quarantine bringing the total number in isolation to three, as cases of COVID-19 increase around the world.
Health Minister Dr Duane Sands confirmed this, adding that officials expected quarantine numbers to increase in the coming days.
According to the Ministry of Health Friday, while there are now three people being kept from physical interactions, 26 in total have been released.
“We have other people that are going to be coming home over the next week or so that we are aware of and now people have been in Italy or are currently there,” the health minister said. “So it is possible that the quarantine numbers will go up.”
To date the current number of confirmed global new Coronavirus cases is 100,347. Cases in China account for the majority with 80,573 reported.
There are 55,753 recovered cases worldwide with 3,408 deaths.
This comes as the Bahamas government Thursday announced a tightening of the border and further quarantine measures for people travelling to the country from Italy, South Korea and Iran – where there is a prevalence of novel coronavirus cases.
As a result and with immediate effect, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press statement that any non-Bahamian resident who visited any of the three countries in the last 20 days will be denied entry to The Bahamas.
However, Bahamian citizens and residents coming from Italy, South Korea and Iran will be subject to quarantine for a maximum of 14 days.
This new restriction means that a travel ban and quarantine measures are now being applied to four jurisdictions, including China. It is also part of the government’s enhanced effort to address the public health threat that COVID-19 poses.
Non-residents currently en route to The Bahamas from these jurisdictions will be subjected to the same protocol for returning citizens and residents, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted.
On Friday Iran’s official death toll was reported to have risen by 15 to 107 and the number of confirmed cases increased by 591 to 3,513.
Italian authorities are reporting 41 deaths from the virus in the past 24 hours, raising the total death toll to 148 in Italy. Currently 3,296 people are infected in the country.
The total number of cases in South Korea is 6,300 with 42 deaths.
Comments
TalRussell 4 years, 8 months ago
So from scary to we health sounds Queen's comrade crown minister health - is weed now legal in Colony? How do homemade brownies works decrease COVID-19 in system? There's no making up this kind excuse widespread at baker's wages paid workplace absenteeism. Just, can't. All I need is now is free prescription take over comrade grocer Rupert's store to isles shop the medical prescribed kind baking flours and assortment the necessary doctor prescribed ingredients.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 8 months ago
Sands must take us all for fools. If these Bahamians are returning by air travel from COVID-19 hotspots around the world, e.g. Red China, South Korea. Italy, etc., then everyone disembarking the plane with them on arrival in Nassau should have also been quarantined. And someone please remind Sands that telling these returning Bahamians to self-quarantine is not an effective a containment measure. Telling identified potential carriers of COVID-19 to stay at home and avoid contact with others is about as effective as telling a potcake to stop eating KFC chicken bones to avoid choking.
It's becoming increasingly clear that our Minnis-led FNM government has no serious containment plans and is once again doing nothing but blowing a lot of hot air our way.
bogart 4 years, 8 months ago
'.......as the Bahamas Government Thursday announced the tightening of the borders..'
Well as the public adds up tens of thousands of illegal migrants....hundreds of illegal ricketery wooden sailing sloops taking 3 or more days sailing undetected through sovereign Bahamian waters.....dozens and dozens of illegal boats found on Bahamian beaches even on beaches Defence Force Naval Base....even illegal boats landing Arawak Cay and vehicles waiting to carry away illegal smuggled passengers....even illegals landing and Bahamian Officials running after them in bushes.....and not to mention hundreds of vessels yachts moving in the Bahamian waters....dozens of illegal hacker small planes Officials cant find them at Airport.....and on and on. ...
bogart 4 years, 8 months ago
Despite all the breeches of sovereign borders the Bahamian Officials in Grand Bahama has been very good. They has been good and even some events of catching person harbouring illegals. Those GB Officials should be given commondations and medals.
John 4 years, 8 months ago
Two deaths in Florida hits close to home. Hundreds of Bahamians are back and forth every day. And hundreds of Bahamians are in Canada.
joeblow 4 years, 8 months ago
Exactly HOW did this Bahamian return to the Bahamas from China if there is supposed to be a ban in place??
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 8 months ago
non-Bahamians from China Italy, .South Korea and Iran are banned. Bahamians can enter but they're automatically quarantined.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 8 months ago
And no one on the plane from Red China but the returning Bahamian had to be 'self'-quarantined. LMAO
TalRussell 4 years, 8 months ago
With Italy's death toll jumping just in last 24 hours from 233 to 366 - a sharp increase of 57%. - we own Colony's government has not displayed that they are anywhere near having either the resources, medical supplies, equipment, and trained health officials for being up to the massive job of protecting we 700 islands and cays. They are still stalling on how to refrigerate in container, parked in someone's parking lot and to bury but 60 bodies left behind by the destructive Hurricane Dorian - and that hit only the Abaco's and Grand Bahamaland Out Islands - likes way back on September 1 and 2, 2019. You don't want be making stuff with such magnitude seriousness up. You just, shouldn't!
TalRussell 4 years, 8 months ago
Correction According to Italy's officials, the death toll has shot up by 133 in a day to 366.
shonkai 4 years, 8 months ago
How many testkits at there in country now????????? Still 50 or did they use any on those travelers?
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