The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FIFTY-NINE people are currently hospitalised with COVID-19 in the Bahamas––down from a peak of 122 two weeks ago.

Health Minister Renward Wells and Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan noted the trend during a press conference on Friday in which they touted progress in the fight against the virus.

Mr Wells noted that there were 34 new cases confirmed yesterday.

“There are 12 COVID-19 patients hospitalised in the Grand Bahama Health Care System. Eight are moderately ill and four are in the Intensive Care Unit or ICU. In New Providence, there are 13 COVID-19 patients hospitalised in Doctor’s Hospital. Ten are moderately ill and three are in ICU,” he said.

“There are five moderately ill COVID-19 patients hospitalised at the South Beach Acute Care and Referral Centre. At the Princess Margaret Hospital, there are 27 COVID-19 patients who are moderately ill. There are no patients in ICU at PMH at this time. Currently, the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre is caring for two cases exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. In all, there are 1,835 active cases. Ninety-seven persons recovered from COVID-19 yesterday. This brings the total number of recoveries to 4,876. The recovery rate is now at 70.5 percent. Unfortunately, there was one COVID-19 related death reported yesterday. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths now stand at 150. In total there have been 29 deaths not related to COVID-19.”

Mr Wells said 25 deaths are currently under investigation.

He also said that, effective Friday, PMH staff will be assuming operational control of the Samaritan’s Purse COVID-19 isolation and treatment unit in Grand Bahama, which is currently caring for fewer than 10 patients.

“The clinical team members from Samaritan’s Purse are leaving the country this weekend, and we will be working through the finer details with a small closeout team next week,” he said.

“Samaritan’s Purse has also handed over all medical equipment––the tents, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and other supplies brought in to help the Bahamian people. We are most grateful to Samaritan’s Purse for their Christian charity. Samaritan’s Purse has trained more than 700 staff members of the Princess Margaret Hospital, and are leaving behind manuals and presentations to help strengthen infection prevention and control techniques in The Bahamas.”

Mr Wells revealed that the National COVID-19 Ethics Committee has approved the SalivaDirect test for evaluation in a pilot programme in New Providence and some Family Islands. The study, which he said will target asymptomatic persons, will see consenting participants swabbed as normal while a saliva sample is simultaneously obtained from them.

“This way we can compare the results and measure the accuracy of the saliva-based method against the swab method," he said. "This pilot is anticipated to proceed during November. The National Reference Laboratory will present its findings and recommendations as it relates to the performance of and potential future use of the SalivaDirect Test.”