The Tribune

THE country’s COVID-19 death toll has risen by eight.

According to the Ministry of Health, the deaths were previously under investigation but have now been confirmed as being COVID-19 related. The country now has a COVID-19 death toll of 685.

The deceased—five men and three women—were all residents of New Providence. They died between September 6-16. Their ages ranged from 38 to 74.

This comes as health officials recorded seven new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the nation’s toll since the start of the pandemic to 22,809.

As concerns grow about the new variant Omicron, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville yesterday said the government has no immediate plans to let people who are not immunocompromised get a third vaccination shot through Johnson & Johnson shots that are about to expire at the end of the month.

However, he said the government will also work to move the vaccines to countries that can use them.

“I do not have the complete support from our technical people and advisors as it relates to us,” he said in the House of Assembly, when asked if the government will roll out booster shots. “I don’t, I would like to have it and the member for Killarney knows exactly what that means.”