‘Not surprising’ that large number of cases in east NP

While the eastern end of New Providence has been identified as a COVID-19 hotspot, Director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme Dr. Nikkiah Forbes clarified that the hotspot encompasses land that is east of East Street.

Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis identified the eastern end of New Providence as a hotspot for COVID-19 during a press conference last night, sparking questions about the specifications of the geographic location.

Forbes said it is not surprising that a large number of the COVID-19 cases were found in that area.

“A large percentage of the Bahamian population lives on the eastern end of the island,” she said on the Guardian Radio show “Morning Blend” with host Dwight Strachan.

“…It wouldn’t be surprising then that the probability is that this is where you would see more cases; just by probability, if most of your population is in a certain area, if it is population dense.

“So everybody, no matter where you live, still has to follow the prevention precautions.

“We are in an outbreak of a virus, and to stop new cases, a large amount of new cases, we have the follow the prevention strategies.

“… And if you live on the western end of the island, it does not mean that you can go about business as usual and say, ‘That does not apply to me’. That is not true. It applies to everybody.

She also discouraged discrimination against people who live in eastern New Providence.

“If we do things like be divisive, emotionally isolate people, ostracize people, and think that we cannot be affected, we are going to lose the war because we know this virus does not discriminate.

“…That would be silly. If you think that you could not get coronavirus because of someplace you live, I’m sorry but you are very wrong about that. I wouldn’t want to see anyone take that attitude.”

There are 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas – 18 on New Providence, four on Grand Bahama and one on Bimini.

The Bahamas recorded its first COVID-19 related death on Monday night.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/04/02/not-surprising-that-large-number-of-cases-in-east-np/