Number of reported COVID-19 cases down last week; but so was testing

While there were fewer cases of COVID-19 reported last week, health officials also reported that testing was also down by over 500 tests compared to the previous week. 

Between September 13 and 19, there were 387 reported cases of the virus. 

From September 6 to 12, there were 422 reported cases.

But, as noted, testing numbers were also down, with 1,926 completed in the past week, from September 13 to 19, compared to 2,443 between September 6 and 12.

The data was gleaned from the Ministry of Health’s daily COVID-19 dashboards.

New cases were down on New Providence, where the majority of COVID-19 cases are located, with 319 recorded last week, compared to 380 the week before.

But new cases increased on Grand Bahama last week, with 20 recorded, compared to 11 on the week prior.

While the numbers might suggest that cases are leveling off, it is difficult to be certain without information on when samples were collected.

Additionally, while new cases may have decreased in the past week, there were still more cases confirmed this week than three weeks ago, between August 30 and September 5, when 371 cases were confirmed – 272 of which were on New Providence.

In the House of Assembly last week, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis asked Bahamians for three more weeks of sacrifice “for a lifetime of success”.

But the latest numbers do not suggest that things will be notably better by then.

A significant portion of the cases recorded in the past week were confirmed over the weekend, with 101 recorded on Saturday and 37 on Friday.

Officials last night reported 55 additional cases – 51 on New Providence, one on Grand Bahama, one on Abaco, one on Exuma and one with the location pending.

The new cases bring the total number of confirmed cases in The Bahamas to 3,370. Of them, 2,340 were recorded on New Providence and 616 on Grand Bahama.

There are 106 confirmed cases on Abaco; 54 confirmed cases on Bimini; 27 cases on Exuma; 19 on Eleuthera; 18 on Inagua; 15 in the Berry Islands; 11 on Long Island; eight on Cat Island; seven on Acklins; five on Crooked Island; four on Andros; and three on Mayaguana.

As of yesterday, there were 137 confirmed cases with locations pending

There were 1,580 active cases, with 1,689 recoveries.

Seventy-nine people were hospitalized with COVID-19 and 17,102 tests were completed.

Deaths

Three more COVID-19 deaths were confirmed in The Bahamas over the weekend, bringing the toll to 74.

According to the Ministry of Health, an 81-year-old man and a 66-year-old man who both died on September 17, and a 69-year-old man who died on September 18 were all confirmed to have died from COVID-19. All three were residents of New Providence.

The ministry noted that the death of a 30-year-old New Providence woman on September 18 was under investigation.

The ministry also confirmed two deaths that were previously under investigation – a 74-year-old woman who died on September 9 and a 62-year-old woman who died on September 16, both residents of New Providence – to be COVID-related.

Nine people who had COVID-19 died of other causes.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/number-of-reported-covid-19-cases-down-last-week-but-so-was-testing/