Data reveals COVID-19 links

The Ministry of Health has identified a cluster of 20 COVID-19 cases with direct connections to one another.

The data shows that of the 20, 12 are healthcare workers. The first case in the cluster was announced on March 29 and the last case was announced last Thursday.

The data is documented in a graph detailing the chains of transmission – or connections among people who tested positive for COVID-19.

The ministry identified 15 chains where spreading among cases occurred.

When the graph was assembled, there were only 72 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths. Since its release, eight more cases were announced.

In all, the ministry documented the spread of COVID-19 among 57 of those 72 cases. The other 15 cases had no known connections to any other case.

But officials have noted that the data will evolve as testing increases and new cases are found.

Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands said the chains do not denote who originally spread the virus, but merely which cases are connected.

The largest chain is identified as number eight and includes the 20 people.

Chain eight starts with case 12, a 41-year-old female healthcare worker from New Providence.

This cluster includes: case 16, a 61-year-old woman from Grand Bahama; case 18, a 72-year-old medical worker who died – later identified as Dr. Judson Eneas; case 22, a 79-year-old man who died, who was later identified as Stafford Coakley; case 25, a 57-year-old woman; case 26, a 71-year-old woman; case 30, a 54-year-old woman; and case 35, a 71-year-old woman.

It also includes: case 42, a 53-year-old man; case 44, a 58-year-old man; case 50, a 38-year-old woman who is a healthcare worker; case 51, a 48-year-old woman who is a healthcare worker; case 52, a 33-year-old woman who is a healthcare worker; case 54, a 93-year-old woman; case 57, a 37-year-old woman who is a healthcare worker; case 58, a 22-year-old woman who is a healthcare worker; case 66, a 28-year-old woman who is a healthcare worker; case 67, a 33-year-old man who is a healthcare worker.

The last two cases connected to chain eight are two healthcare workers: case 71, a 29-year-old woman, and case 72, a 50-year-old woman.

The second largest cluster is in chain 22. It includes cases 37, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 and 68, who are all men.

Case 37 is a 60-year-old. Case 60, a 53-year-old, died.

Cases 61 to 64 include a 56-year-old, a 66-year-old, a 52-year-old and a 51-year-old who died.

Case 65 is a 34-year-old and case 68, who died, was a 65-year-old.

Only two of the three men who died in this cluster died because of the virus. Case 68 died with the virus and not because of it, The Nassau Guardian was told.

Dr. Merceline Dahl-Regis, consultant to the prime minister, noted that the clusters are occurring at work sites and various places.

“It is busy, but what you see are the total number of chains,” she said on April 23.

“So, a chain brings together all those cases that are connected.”

She added, “These chains are evolving and would not be static. In a week’s time, I will show you another cluster of cases. This is how the surveillance unit is monitoring each case and each possible chain – the linkages that are occurring.”

Eight new cases were announced since the graph was released.

On Friday, officials announced a 33-year-old New Providence woman tested positive for COVID-19; on Saturday, they announced five females of Bimini, including two girls, tested positive; and yesterday they announced two New Providence women, ages 49 and 23, tested positive.

In total, 48 of the 80 cases are females and 32 are males.

 Seven of the 11 people who died because of the virus are men.

The start

The first chain includes the country’s first four cases of the virus, two of whom are healthcare workers.

Chain three includes case six, a 42-year-old man, and case seven, a 26-year-old woman.

Chain four includes case eight, a 53-year-old man who is a healthcare worker, and case 24, a 10-year-old girl.

Chain 12 includes case 17, a 67-year-old woman who died, and case 33, a 66-year-old woman.

Chain 13 includes case 19, a 59-year-old man, and case 36, a 41-year-old woman.

Chain 15 includes case 21, a 56-year-old woman from Bimini, whom authorities have identified as Kim Johnson-Rolle, the first person to die from COVID-19 in The Bahamas.

The data shows that there is a possible link involving Johnson-Rolle and case 69, a 63-year-old woman from Bimini, and case 70, a 78-year-old man from Bimini.

Chain 18 is made up of cases 28, a 51-year-old woman, and 29, a 48-year-old woman.

Chain 19 includes case 31, a 50-year-old man who died, and case 53, a 38-year-old woman.

Cases 32 and 39, a 62-year-old woman and 44-year-old man, make up chain 20.

Chain 21 is made up of case 34, a 44-year-old man, and case 45, a 49-year-old woman.

Officials say case 38, a 44-year-old woman, and case 48, a 40-year-old woman, are connected. They make up chain 23.

Chain 24 includes case 40, a 51-year-old woman on Grand Bahama who died, and case 43, a 25-year-old man from Grand Bahama.

Chain 30 includes case 56, a 69-year-old woman, and case 59, a 67-year-old man.

The latest data from the ministry shows that of the 80 cases, 22 recovered.

A total of 792 people, who had some form of contact with the positive cases, are in quarantine.

Over 200 of them are healthcare workers, the ministry has said.

On Saturday, the ministry tested nearly 180 healthcare workers.

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Five more cases on Bimini

Three and a half weeks after a Bimini woman with COVID-19 died, health officials on Saturday reported another five cases on the small northern Bahamian island with a population of around 2,000.

In total, Bimini accounts for eight of the 80 cases that have been confirmed in The Bahamas; last week, a Bimini couple — a 78-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman — were reported to have COVID-19.

The most recently confirmed Bimini cases are all females — ages 11, 15, 37, 47 and 75.

Asked last night whether the five new cases have a direct link to Kim Johnson-Rolle, who died late last month after being airlifted to New Providence, Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands could not confirm.

Sands said health officials were investigating to see if the cases are linked through residents attending funerals on Bimini on March 22 and March 29. The Bahamas was already under a state of emergency and a curfew had been imposed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Regarding the funerals, Sands said, “At this point, we have not been able to make that connection. Bear in mind, these other cases would just have been diagnosed and confirmed [on Saturday].”

According to the minister, fewer than 20 people are in quarantine in Bimini.

As officials investigated the possible links among the Bimini cases, Bimini MP Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe yesterday called for a complete two-week shutdown of the island and increased testing.

“The increase in the COVID-19 cases in Bimini is troubling,” she said.

“I am concerned and so is the entire community. This increase clearly demonstrates that we are challenged in spite of all the guidelines given, information shared and steps taken.

“We are calling for a complete shutdown of Bimini, and more stringent measures.

“Our appeal has been voiced nationally and to all relevant authorities. Further reinforcement by all government agencies from law enforcement to social services is needed.”

She added, “We need Bimini to completely shut down, and we are asking for May 1st to May 15th for it to happen.”

Parker-Edgecombe said up to press time yesterday, 41 people had been tested on the island.

She is pushing for increased testing in both north and south Bimini.

“We are not taking this matter lightly and at this point, strongly encourage persons in Bimini to stay inside and practice social distancing.”

Sands said there will be some changes to the handling of the situation on Bimini this week.

“Bear in mind that between Bimini and Cat Cay, they have had more testing than anywhere in The Bahamas.

“…We have done almost 400 tests in an area that has [fewer] than 2,500 people.”

 Officials reported that the five females who recently tested positive for COVID-19 were all in home isolation.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health said a 49-year-old woman and a 23-year-old woman, both of New Providence, are the two latest confirmed cases.

They, too, were in home isolation.

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State of emergency expected to be extended to end of May

Dr. Hubert Minnis.

A resolution extending the state of emergency to May 30 is expected to be tabled by Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis in the House of Assembly this morning.

The state of emergency, which is accompanied by continued weekend lockdowns and a 24-hour curfew, is set to expire on Thursday.

However, according to a draft of the resolution, which was obtained by The Nassau Guardian, the state of public emergency in The Bahamas continues to be “necessary and expedient” to the security of public safety; defense of the country; maintenance of public order; suppression of mutiny, rebellion and riot; and maintenance of supplies and services that are essential to the life and well-being of the community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor General C.A. Smith declared a state of public emergency in The Bahamas on March 18.

In the weeks that followed, the prime minister imposed a short-lived national grocery-shopping schedule, a five-day complete lockdown and a curfew.

The curfew mandates that residents only leave their houses for essential trips to places such as the grocery store, pharmacy or gas station.

The prime minister recently said he was alarmed by the number of people on the streets of New Providence during the curfew.

“In some areas, it was hard to tell that the country was under a curfew at all,” he said. “The longer it takes to stop the spread of COVID-19, the longer it will take to end the curfews and lockdowns and fully reopen our economy.

“The decision as to when to reopen parts of the economy and to get people back to work rests in all of our hands… Our collective action will help to determine a number of timelines.”

Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands said the emergency orders will help to stop potential “super spreaders” of the virus.

The Bahamas confirmed its first COVID-19 case on March 15.

As of yesterday, there were 80 confirmed cases of COVID-19 locally.

Despite the steady increase in cases, Minnis announced on April 19 that some businesses, including hardware stores and plant nurseries, will be allowed to reopen during the curfew.

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip Brave Davis questioned the prime minister’s rationale for the decision.

“We are sure the public is relieved that there is a slow return to normalcy, but there has to be some idea of what this is based upon and that it is evidence-driven,” he said.

Minnis will deliver a communication in the House at 10 a.m.

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Economic Recovery Committee appointed

Marlon Johnson and Ken Kerr.

The Cabinet Office yesterday announced that Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis has appointed an Economic Recovery Committee.

The public-private committee will make recommendations to the Cabinet on the long-term economic recovery of The Bahamas economy, including job-creation and stimulating small business recovery and development in response to COVID-19.

The committee will focus on restoring the macroeconomy; restarting a competitive business environment; economic diversification; tourism and transport; financial services and labor.

The co-chairs of the committee are Acting Financial Secretary Marlon Johnson and businessman Ken Kerr, CEO, Providence Advisors.

The committee is representative of a diversity of public and private sector entities, according to a statement from the Cabinet Office.

In addition to the co-chairs, members of the committee include:

• John Rolle, governor, Central Bank of The Bahamas;

• Wendy Craig, former Central Bank governor; advisor, Ministry of Finance;

• Christina Rolle, executive director, Securities Commission of The Bahamas;

• Davinia Blair-Grant, executive director, Small Business Development Centre;

• John Delaney, QC, senior partner, Delaney Partners;

• Khrystle Rutherford-Ferguson, chair, Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Federation;

• Greg Laroda, chair, Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce;

• Suzanne Pattusch, executive vice-president, Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association;

• Tanya McCartney, executive director, Bahamas Financial Services Board;

• Nat Beneby, former managing director, RBC Royal Bank;

• Patrick Ward, president and chief executive officer, Bahamas First General Insurance Co.;

• Edison Sumner, principal, Sumner Trading Partners;

• Franklyn Butler, CEO/president, Cable Bahamas Ltd.;

• Obie Ferguson, president, Bahamas Trade Union Congress; and

• Matt Aubry, executive director, Organization for Responsible Governance.

“The committee should be bold and creative in its recommendations,” Minnis said. “We are in a new era. We need to think and act in new ways in order to recover as quickly as possible and to build a more dynamic and diverse economy. We have to enhance the use of digital technologies and delivery services.”

The prime minister said that just as The Bahamas is seeing the local production of hand sanitizer, masks and other healthcare products, the government will promote more domestic production and manufacturing where possible. This includes greater food production.

“I look forward to the ideas, policies and programs the Committee will recommend to help The Bahamas to recover and to create jobs and more entrepreneurial opportunities, including for young Bahamians,” Minnis noted.

The prime minister thanked the committee members for agreeing to serve and to help provide a way forward for the country in response to the many challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Man killed in Exuma boating accident

A 44-year-old man died in a boating accident on Exuma during a nationwide lockdown on Saturday, police said yesterday.

Police said the man was aboard his 15-foot Boston Whaler around 7 p.m. when he suddenly fell into the water, where he was fatally injured by the boat’s propellers. 

No one else was injured during the incident. 

Under the Emergency Powers orders, the country is under a 24-hour curfew and lockdown every weekend, during which no one is to leave home unless for “essential travel”. 

 

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Seven people caught playing dominoes fined

Police arrested seven people for violating the curfew after they allegedly met them playing dominoes at a bar in Coconut Grove.

Latisha Woodside, her sister Shantia Mackey, Julietta Bain, Jean Ale, Emmanuel Louis, Patrcharnell Evans and Wilkins Oscar admitted that they disobeyed the curfew by failing to remain at home on April 23.

Officers acting on information went to the business after getting a call.

All of the offenders pleaded guilty to violating the curfew when they appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

With the exception of Woodside and Bain, they were all fined $400 or spend four months in prison.

Bain was fined $250 or spend three months in prison.

Woodside was bound over to keep the peace for a year. If she is found in breach of the curfew again, she will have to pay a $500 fine to avoid spending three months in prison.

Malancus Forbes was fined $300 or spend 20 days in prison after police found him on Arawak Cay around 3 a.m. on April 23.

Forbes told senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis that he broke the curfew to go fishing.

Additionally, Forbes said he had a toothache that worsened at night, making it impossible for him to sleep.

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Man charged with buying groceries with used food stamps

Police charged a 48-year-old man with getting groceries by fraud.

Tyrone Todd pleaded guilty to fraud by false pretenses at his arraignment before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis.

Prosecutors allege that Todd got $32 in goods from Super Value on Prince Charles Drive by using quality stamps that had already been redeemed.

Todd said that he didn’t know that the stamps had already been used.

Rolle-Davis adjourned the matter until September 28 so that he could see the stamps himself.

Also appearing in the same court was Emmanuel Johnson.

Prosecutors allege that Johnson, of Heritage Lane, burglarized the home of Christonia Knowles and stole a Samsung S-9 cellphone.

Johnson faced an alternative charge of receiving the stolen phone.

He was not required to enter pleas to the charges since he elected trial in the Supreme Court.

Johnson was remanded to prison and advised of his right to seek bail before a judge.

He next returns to court on June 16.

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Recovery committee could usher in greater participatory governance

The Economic Recovery Committee, charged with formulating The Bahamas’ economic resuscitation amidst the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, could usher in a time of greater participatory governance and engage a broader group of the population, Executive Director of the Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) Matt Aubry told Guardian Business yesterday.

Aubry, who was named to the committee that is expected to be formally announced today by Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis, said the body has not had a formal meeting as yet.

However, he said the group has been charged with being innovative in its approach to restimulating The Bahamas’ economy.

In the government’s announcement obtained by this paper, the committee is being called to develop a job-creating and business-stimulating plan.

“The public-private committee will make recommendations to the Cabinet on the long-term economic recovery of The Bahamas’ economy, including job creation and stimulating small business recovery and development in response to COVID-19,” the statement noted.

“The committee will focus on restoring the macroeconomy, restarting a competitive business environment, economic diversification, tourism and transport, financial services and labor.”

Acting Financial Secretary Marlon Johnson and businessman Ken Kerr, chief executive officer of Providence Advisors, have been named as co-chairs of the committee.

Also named to the committee are John Rolle, governor of The Central Bank of The Bahamas; Wendy Craigg, former Central Bank governor and advisor to the Ministry of Finance; Christina Rolle, executive director of the Securities Commission of The Bahamas; Davinia Blair-Grant, executive director of the Small Business Development Centre; John Delaney, Queen’s Counsel and senior partner at Delaney Partners; Khrystle Rutherford-Ferguson, chair of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation; Greg Laroda, chair of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce; Suzanne Pattusch, executive vice president of the Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association; Tanya McCartney, executive director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board; Nat Beneby, former managing director of RBC Royal Bank; Patrick Ward, president and chief executive officer of Bahamas First General Insurance Co.; Edison Sumner, principal of Sumner Trading Partners; Franklyn Butler, chief executive officer and president of Cable Bahamas Ltd.; Obie Ferguson, president of the Bahamas Trade Union Congress; and Aubry.

Minnis said in the statement that The Bahamas must react quickly to recover the country’s economy.

“The committee should be bold and creative in its recommendations,” said Minnis.

“We are in a new era. We need to think and act in new ways in order to recover as quickly as possible and to build a more dynamic and diverse economy. We have to enhance the use of digital technologies and delivery services.”

Aubry said he was honored to be chosen for the committee and said he will ensure civil society is duly represented.

“This is a time for more open, involved and participatory governance,” he said.

“This scenario does not believe in political parties… As we push forward, we’re possibly given the opportunity to come out of this stronger than where we were.”

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Bahamian stuck abroad waiting to return to family

Tonia-Kaye Moss, 27, was returning home from school in Jamaica when the government closed the Bahamian border.

“The borders were closed during my connecting flight home,” Moss told The Nassau Guardian.

Describing the moment she realized she couldn’t return to The Bahamas, Moss said, “I panicked for a good minute. I stood frozen but my mother raised a resilient woman.

“I took a deep breath [for] maybe 10 [seconds]. Then, I reached out to a great friend, who’s also a part of the consulate family but resides in Atlanta, while my partner back home did the same [by] driving to government buildings [and] the works.”

Today marks one month since she has been stuck in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Moss is staying at a hotel there until she is able to return home.

“I mean I have a roof over my head so I’m not homeless,” she said.

“But the lack of care the Floridians are putting into this pandemic gives me anxiety.

“I empathize with anyone who’s missing family, even if they are 10 minutes apart. Seeing that I’m quite family-oriented, it would have been ideal to endure this together than apart.

“Continually, to those who are restless, I can relate. Having a routine is what keeps us going. To have that abruptly discontinued with no signs of when normalcy [is] being returned is scary.”

On March 27, the government announced that the Bahamian border would close to all incoming individuals, including citizens and residents.

The step was taken as an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19 in The Bahamas.

Moss said she would not have traveled if she knew the border was going to close.

“But, as we’re now in this predicament, I feel there should be an exception but not at the expense of the populous back home,” she told The Guardian.

“If the necessary measures are taken upon our arrival then yes. I would be devastated if I cause my family harm.”

While noting that she isn’t sick, Moss said she would be willing to be quarantined upon arrival to The Bahamas.

“It’s like [New York] Governor [Andrew] Cuomo said: sacrifice the I for we,” she said, adding, “At least I will be on home soil but the facilitation has to be flawless.”

Moss said the Bahamian consulate in Miami has been “helpful in liaison between the government and myself”.

“I’m sure they’re overwhelmed themselves, but they have been nothing but a great pseudo family away from my family,” she said.

Last week, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States Sidney Collie told The Guardian that he planned to recommend that the government make “an exception” and allow some Bahamians to return home despite the closure of The Bahamas’ border.

“What we are looking at is the cost to the government to have to house and feed a large number of students throughout the United States; paying for hotels and motels and other accommodation versus the cost of making an exception with the border and getting them back home,” he said.

“That would be the driving motive behind making that recommendation. So, we have a number of recommendations we want to make but I will leave that until my list of recommendations from consul generals [is] complete.”

There are at least 250 Bahamians stuck in Florida, according to Collie.

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The Shoe Depot closes mall location amid COVID-19 outbreak

With no clear indication of when social distancing orders and the mandated 24-hour curfew will end, businesses throughout the capital are drowning in financial loss and uncertainty, which has already resulted in at least one business deciding to close the doors of one arm of its operations for good.

Egan Kemp, the co-owner and president of Eunison Co. Ltd., which operates as The Shoe Depot, said the company was looking forward to great growth opportunities this year and was extremely optimistic, especially since the government had finally allowed footwear and apparel merchants to import their products duty free.

But then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, forcing the company to shutter its three locations in Palmdale, Golden Gates and The Mall at Marathon. Things turned south when the company attempted to negotiate rent concessions with its landlords at the mall location, given the economic challenges due to COVID-19.

“We have already experienced significant negative effects in several areas. Obviously, zero sales means zero money incoming. Yet, there are the weekly expenses that continue to build in the background. We have to contend with those expenses and that quickly depletes our available cash,” Kemp said in an emailed response to questions from Guardian Business.

“To be clear, we have been mall tenants since the very beginning in the late 1980s, starting under the Bata name, growing into a store of approximately 4,221 square feet. Unfortunately, the mall has put us in an impossible position. Our existing lease expires on April 30th. Our discussions on lease renewal were not successful. We expected that the landlord would take a ‘tenant retention’ approach and factor in the current COVID-19 climate and the dire economic reality of the next several months and years to offer some measure of compromise.”

Believing that it would be imprudent and unwise to sign a long or short-term lease at the same pre-COVID-19 rent rate, Kemp said the company decided to regrettably and reluctantly walk away from its flagship location.

“So, we made the hard call not to renew the lease, which means closing the store,” he said.

Kemp said it was a stressful experience getting permission from the commissioner of police to allow his staff to work to help vacate the premises, but the mall ultimately granted him a five-day extension to complete the process, which was a challenge since it is hard to find “boxes to pack up an entire store in a COVID-19 lockdown”.

Kemp said at this point, he’s not sure if the company will relocate. What he is sure of is his desire to see the government take a more active role in helping to minimize the economic impact of COVID-19.

“For example, it could have been useful to offer some guidance to both commercial and residential landlords in these times. Government overreach is always a real concern for me, but they are here to do just that – govern – by gathering resources, listening to needs and seeking optimal solutions for the country as a whole,” he said.

“The economy is the pivot for our nation’s success. Listening to and understanding the population’s realities is crucial at this time in order to step through this fiscal nightmare. As Bahamians, but especially for those who govern, there will have to be ‘outside-the-box’ thinking that is also practical.”

As for his staff complement of just under 50 employees, Kemp said the company has had to take the route of hundreds of other businesses in the country and lay off non-essential staff.

“We appreciate the government’s efforts through NIB (the National Insurance Board) and figured that since we have faithfully contributed to NIB over our company’s entire history, that this is where NIB should provide support. As far as we know, none of our employees have received NIB payments, so we have offered a week of owed vacation advance pay to anyone who wanted it now instead,” he said.

“Like everyone else, we are trying to cope. As owners, we are Christians first and our faith provides great perspective, direction and comfort in these times. Our employees are all highly positive and encouraging regardless of our circumstances and that is a great help for us as a company. We don’t know where this will all end, but we do know there will be a lot of hard work and difficult decisions to be made as we journey through it.”

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Food store worker says the new normal is ‘a nightmare’

With the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic having a widespread effect, essential worker Aaron Curtis, 53, said his new normal is a stressful experience.

Curtis is an assistant meat manager at a local grocery store who told The Nassau Guardian that while he is grateful to still be employed, his new everyday schedule is “like a nightmare”.

“To be honest, what I see going on is like a nightmare,” Curtis said.

“I’m a butcher in one of the major food stores in Nassau. I live in the Carmichael Road area and work in Nassau Village. I have to be at work for 5 a.m. every morning.

“I’m stopped by the Royal Bahamas Police Force at Gladstone Road’s entrance to Cowpen and Blue Hill Road south red lights, then again at East Street south red lights by the police station. And as you continue eastward towards Pinewood communities, you’re again stopped at the roundabout by the Royal Bahamas Police Force.”

He added, “Then the stress just begins when I arrive at work. The customers are parked in their cars from the beginning of Xtra Value’s parking-lot gates to Solider Road.

“You see inside Xtra Value’s parking lot, the line started from by the gate straight to the entrance of the food store; and from this coronavirus pandemic reached our shores, this has been my work schedule ever since – from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. and during the weekend lockdowns.”

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in The Bahamas last month, the country has remained in a state of emergency.

Most businesses were ordered to close, and a 24-hour curfew and weekend-long lockdowns were implemented in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus.

Police blockades throughout New Providence routinely stop drivers in an effort to ensure they are not violating curfew or lockdown, while long lines to get into banks, grocery stores and other businesses remain the norm.

Curtis said these long lines mean a busy day ahead for him.

Because of the nonstop flow of customers, he has had to shift from working 48 hours per week and having a few days off, to having to work six days in a row every week.

“When the stress really starts for me at work is [when] that line is so long and you’re not getting no time to eat or anything,” Curtis said.

“So all I’m living off regularly is energy drinks when I reach to work.”

But he added that by the time he gets home in the evening, his wife is usually waiting for him with a meal.

Curtis’ wife was among the many Bahamians who were laid off, being a worker in the tourism industry, but Curtis said she has applied for unemployment benefits with the National Insurance Board (NIB).

Working at the grocery store also has it perks, as Curtis said he is able to shop for his groceries when he arrives early in the morning so he doesn’t have to go through the hassle of trying to toe a line to get supplies.

“I pretty much eat, sleep and pray to God for this coronavirus pandemic to soon be over with, so my lifestyle can return to normal again from this nightmare which is so unreal,” Curtis said.

He added, “With this global coronavirus pandemic it’s a very serious but most of all a scary time in our lives in The Bahamas.”

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Contact tracing benefits in COVID-19 battle

Dr. Duane Sands.

Contact tracing is a core disease control measure employed by health department personnel for decades, and is a key strategy for preventing further spread of COVID-19, according to the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In The Bahamas, the Ministry of Health’s Communicable Surveillance Unit is key to the fight against the coronavirus.

“The hardworking staff of this unit are important front line workers in keeping all of us safe,” said Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands.

“The surveillance unit provides valuable information and helps to inform the government on what decisions should be made to halt the further spread of coronavirus. Contact tracing has provided a number of benefits – patients are able to receive care if they’re detected early; contacts could be transferred to a treatment center so an infected person is taken out of the community and isolated so as not to aid further COVID-19 spread; or prevent the extension of the pandemic.”

During a COVID-19 briefing, Sands said it is the unit responsible for collecting and evaluating health information to control the spread of communicable diseases in the country.

“It responds to disease outbreaks. It gives healthcare facilities a description of communicable disease symptoms, and the protocols to follow. It informs healthcare providers and the public of infectious diseases that could affect or are currently circulating in the country, and it works with private and public clinics, and other stakeholders to identify cases. This unit leads our contact tracing efforts.”

The health minister said contact tracing is a fundamental public health tool that can break the chain of transmission and decrease the spread of an infectious disease. And that on average, there can be 10 to 20 contacts from one infected person.

The Bahamas had 80 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 11 deaths and 792 people in quarantine as of yesterday. Worldwide there were 2,934,141 confirmed cases and 205,142 deaths.

Sands said the surveillance unit uses a three-step process to find potentially exposed people – contact identification, contact listing and contact follow-up

“During the contact identification process, once a case is confirmed positive for COVID-19, staff members speak intimately with the person to determine what activities he or she was involved in and the people he or she came into contact with around the time that the illness began. The contacts given for such a case usually include family members, workmates, friends or healthcare providers.”

During the contact listing process, he said, all contacts noted are listed with information on how to reach them.

“These people are informed that they were exposed to the coronavirus, they are provided with information about the necessary steps to take to avoid potentially exposing others – such as quarantine.”

During contact follow-up, he said, the process requires once to twice daily monitoring for symptoms, and potentially to test for infection.

“Contacts of COVID-19 are monitored for up to 14 days to determine if there are signs of illness developing such as a fever, a dry cough or shortness of breath. Once symptoms develop that meet the case definition, these persons are immediately referred for COVID-19 testing. If they are found positive, then they are also questioned about their contacts, and the cycle on contact tracing begins again.”

Sands said people who have been exposed to the virus are required by health officials to limit their contact with others to prevent spread. This, he said, can be done by quarantine or by isolation.

Quarantine is used to separate and restrict movement of people who are well, but may have been exposed to the coronavirus.

“Quarantine in this instance is usually for a period of 14 days from the exposure to a confirmed COVID-19 case. During this time, the person is monitored to see if he or she experiences flu-like symptoms.”

He said people may be required to self-quarantine if they visited an area or country where community infection is present, or if they were in close contact with a COVID-19 patient. Self-quarantine takes place at home and lasts for up to 14 days. If a person starts to feel sick during self-quarantine, that individual should contact his or her healthcare provider or the COVID-19 hotline. People in mandatory quarantine are placed in a designated quarantine facility and are monitored daily by healthcare providers. This allows for monitoring for the development of symptoms, and early detection of a case. This, too, is usually for a period of 14 days.

The health minister said isolation differs from quarantine, because in that a person who is ill or infected needs to be separated from others to prevent the further spread of infection.

People with mild flu-like symptoms such as low-grade fever, dry cough, fatigue, runny nose and sore throat, he said, may be isolated at home. But they must remain in a separate room away from the rest of the household. If more moderate or severe symptoms develop, such as shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, he said hospitalization in an isolated room at the South Beach Centre or Doctors Hospital West facility in New Providence, or a similar facility on Grand Bahama, is required.

Sands said people who have received recommendations to quarantine or isolate are strongly advised to remain at home until the prescribed time has ended since they, as a quarantined or isolated contact, have been exposed and have the potential to spread the virus, shed the virus and infect others and accelerate the spread of this disease in The Bahamas.

Contacts who have had close association with a positive COVID-19 case, he said, are considered to be at high risk of infection if they share a bed, if they slept in the same room for one or more nights, if they live in the household and share the same enclosed living space for one night or extended periods of time, or if they are a healthcare worker who provided direct care without using personal protective equipment.

Moderate to low-risk people are those who travel in close proximity to a COVID-19 patient and who were in a social situation with no physical contact or close proximity to the case.

Sands said people in quarantine and isolation should request a family member to complete shopping for essential items. And if the person lives outside the home, they should be asked to leave groceries and other items at the door and to leave. If a person is receiving assistance from a family member at home, he said, they should ask the person assisting to leave their food outside the door and not enter the room you occupy.

“Following this simple advice is paramount to preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” said Sands.

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COVID-19 small business profile: Signature Styles

For Mitzi Turnquest, the proprietor of the Signature Group of Companies – which consists of four apparel boutiques – closing her business in the face of uncertainty is nothing new.

After having to shutter her business for a full year during the 2011 New Providence Road Improvement Project, Turnquest said she knows what perseverance in the face of adversity means.

But the 18-year business veteran said she was still shocked by how significantly and how suddenly the prime minister’s announcement of the public state of emergency and resulting 24-hour lockdown of all non-essential businesses would impact her.

“For me it has impacted me immensely. We didn’t get to just slow down, we had to stop our operation completely. So literally, when you still have a lot of overhead going on, you literally have no income coming in – period. You have families affected by it, you have employees affected by it. Really and truly you can’t take a personal approach to it because it’s happening to everyone at this time,” she said.

“It’s not a cry to say, ‘Why me?’; everyone is going through this. I think for small businesses, especially those of us in beauty and retail, this is affecting us the most because we don’t sell necessities or things that are essential, so I think we will be affected by this more than anybody else.”

Turnquest is like thousands of small business owners throughout the country trying to come to terms with the new reality of commerce in a COVID-19 world.

She said with calls for social distancing expected to continue well beyond the current period of a closed economy, she has had to reconsider how she does business moving forward.

“A lot of people are talking about an online presence and even though I love the prospect of people being able to shop and coming in to feel and touch before they purchase, that may not be feasible in this market moving forward. The prospect of having to create that concept online, may have to be something I eventually look at,” Turnquest said in a telephone interview with Guardian Business.

“I know that it’s not going to be easy. One of the advantages of doing this for 18 years is in 2011 I had to go through a year of being closed because of the road closures, so I had to be shut down for an entire year and continued to pay overhead at that time. So being in a situation like this is not new to me, it’s just another time that I have to see it through… But the goal will continue to be to offer an amazing boutique to my Bahamian people.”

Turnquest said she is depending on the financial assistance the government has offered to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), like its Business Continuity Program, to stay afloat; but she has seen little headway in that regard.

“Literally, I think I was one of the first ones on the line applying for some financial assistance, but nothing has come to fruition as yet,” she said.

“As it relates to my staff, what I did was an emergency vacation for them. I made sure I paid them vacation, giving them the opportunity to be paid days owed if there was any owed to them in addition to that. Then I filled out their application forms myself and walked them in to make sure they got the assistance that they needed. So that was done from the front. I made sure to put them on as temporary laid off, so that they could have been getting something in at this time, because I did foresee that this is going to be a bit of a ride, it’s not going to be a two or three-week turnaround.”

Turnquest said it’s incumbent upon the small business community to support and take care of one another.

“These are your mom and pop stores, this is such a hard time for so many of us small businesses. Most of us don’t have that financial backing that a corporation or a big business might have,” she said.

“Something I want to encourage most of us to do is to try to help support each other and do what we can to keep afloat and just keep pressing on and don’t give up. That’s all we can do in this season.”

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Five people on Bimini test positive for coronavirus

Five females on Bimini, including an 11-year-old and a 15-year-old, have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Health.

The other patients are 37, 47 and 75.

The ministry said that none of the patients have recent histories of travel.

They are all isolated at home.

On Thursday, Health Minister Duane Sands said that 40 residents on Bimini would be tested for the virus by the end of the following day.

There are 78 confirmed cases of the virus in The Bahamas.

So far, 15 people have recovered and 11 people have died after contracting COVID-19.

The ministry said 792 people are quarantined.

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PMH takes a major hit

Dr. Duane Sands.

Health Minister Dr. Duane Sands revealed yesterday that more than 200 health care workers are in quarantine after possible exposure to COVID-19, including 96 doctors and 62 nurses from Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).

During a virtual press conference, Sands also said that of the 72 confirmed cases of the virus, 15 are health workers.

Many of the 200 workers are connected to an incident at PMH in which a patient tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.

“In total, more than 200 health care workers are in quarantine,” Sands said.

“However, we believe that upon completion of our risk assessment activity, this number is expected to be reduced dramatically.”

In addition to the 96 doctors and 62 nurses, nearly 50 other workers across other departments at PMH are also in quarantine.

These include 12 rehab (including respiratory tech) workers, nine radiologists, one person in facility management, eight people from the laboratory, four emergency medical technicians and one porter.

Sands said all of the patients who were on the Medical-Surgical Ward II at PMH were tested for COVID-19.

“Contact tracing and exposure assessments commenced for the people discharged from the ward and those who were in contact with the current patients on that ward,” he said.

“Currently, there are only four patients on the ward. Three of the four remain in isolation. And one remains on the open ward. As long as patients remain on this ward, routine sanitization measures are being followed.”

He added, “All persons will be monitored closely. They will be tested for COVID-19 and, if required, they will be admitted to one of our COVID centers for care.”

Sandilands

Sands said a patient from the Robert Smith ward at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) was also impacted by the incident, resulting in the quarantine of 39 patients and 46 staff at Sandilands. Sands said that patient was hospitalized at Doctors Hospital West.

He said the ward, which is the child and adolescent unit of the facility, has been sanitized.

“SRC referred a patient from the Robert Smith Unit to Princess Margaret Hospital for further medical management on April 5, 2020,” Sands said.

“This patient received treatment at PMH and was discharged on April 15th, 2020 back to SRC.

“Days later, the Medical-Surgical Ward II at PMH was declared compromised on the discovery of a confirmed positive COVID-19 patient on the ward. Consequently, the ward was closed to admission on April 18, 2020.

“The patient of the Robert Smith ward from SRC was returned to PMH on April 19 to be tested for COVID-19. And on April 20, it was confirmed that this person from the Robert Smith unit had contracted COVID-19. And this patient is now receiving care at the Doctors Hospital West facility.”

In light of the incident at PMH, Sands said measures will be taken to limit outsiders’ contact with people in the hospital. He said patient updates will be conducted over the phone and meals and beverages delivered for patients by relatives and friends won’t be accepted.

Video calls will be set up to allow patients on the children’s ward to interact with their parents and guardians.

The ministry has opened the South Beach Acute Care and Referral Centre.

“South Beach Acute Care and Referral Centre started to accept COVID-19 patients on Sunday, April 19, following re-fitting for accommodations for 10 beds,” Sands said.

“The South Beach centre will be further refitted to accommodate an additional 10 beds, bringing to 20 the total number of beds for COVID-19 patients at that facility.

“Contractors are working around the clock to complete the additions by the weekend.

“This should bring the total number of beds for COVID-19 patients in New Providence to 40; 20 at South Beach, 16 at Doctors Hospital West and four at the PMH modular unit.

“By tomorrow morning six COVID-19 beds will be available in Grand Bahama and within a week to 10 days a total of 22.”

The minister also announced that two men, infected with the virus, died. Their deaths pushed the total number of deaths related to COVID-19 to 11.

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Two more COVID-19 deaths

Two more people have died from COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths from the disease in The Bahamas to 11, Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands said yesterday.

He said the latest victims were two men, a 53-year-old and a 51-year-old, who are both from New Providence.

“We give our heartfelt condolences to the families of the two men who lost their lives and our prayers are with you in this very difficult time,” he said.

He also announced two new cases of COVID-19 – a 50-year-old woman on New Providence and a 29-year-old woman on New Providence. He said both women are in home isolation.

There are now 72 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. Of them, Sands said 15 cases are health care workers.

As of yesterday, nine people were hospitalized, he said. He said eight of them are in Doctors Hospital West on New Providence, and one in the Rand Memorial Hospital on Grand Bahama.

Fourteen people have recovered in total, but there remains 792 people in quarantine – over 200 of whom are health care workers.

At least 46 staff and 39 patients at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre are also in quarantine after a patient on the Robert Smith ward tested positive with COVID-19 after being exposed in the medical-surgical ward at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).

The Bahamas continues to have one of the highest case-fatality rates in the region. Health officials have said that increased testing will see that rate decrease as more people test positive for the novel coronavirus.

Dr. Merceline Dahl-Regis, health advisor to the prime minister, said the increase in cases will likely pick up after a patient on the Medical-Surgical Ward at PMH tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.

“We would expect that the increase will continue and will be greater given the situation in the Medical-Surgical Ward at Princess Margaret Hospital as well as the increased testing that is projected beginning today,” she said.

Sands said just under 1,000 people had been tested in the country as of yesterday.

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Collie wants Bahamians to return home

Sidney Collie.

With more than 250 Bahamians stuck in Florida alone, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States Sidney Collie said yesterday he plans to recommend that the government make “an exception” and allow some Bahamians to return home despite the closure of The Bahamas’ border.

“I’m expecting a report from the consul general in Miami, the consul general in Atlanta, the consul general in D.C. and the consul general in New York today because I need to have the total list for an intervention I intend to make with the government,” Collie told The Nassau Guardian.

He said he could not provide the exact number of Bahamians stuck in the United States, however, he noted that “it’s quite a large number”.

Collie said the number for Bahamian students is “quite substantial”.

For this reason, Collie said he has reached out to not only the consul generals but also to honorary consuls throughout the United States “to start the planning for how we are going to either assist them (Bahamians) or to get them back home”.

“That right there is a part of our recommendations,” he said.

“What we are looking at is the cost to the government to have to house and feed a large number of students throughout the United States; paying for hotels and motels and other accommodation versus the cost of making an exception with the border and getting them back home.

“That would be the driving motive behind making that recommendation. So, we have a number of recommendations we want to make but I will leave that until my list of recommendations from consul generals [is] complete.”

He said in 10 days, many Bahamian students will be left with nowhere to go during the pandemic.

“…At the end of the first week of May, the semester will come to an end and many of those students will be forced to find accommodations,” the ambassador told The Guardian.

He added, “The situation is this many of the students were able, in the immediate aftermath of the onset of COVID-19, especially those that are on big campuses, they were able to arrange with the international counselor of most of the universities and colleges to, after spring break, stay on campus even though many of the American counterparts went home.

“So, the universities and the colleges were very good, were excellent. A number of other students were able to arrange to stay with families and friends.”

Collie said students are “top of our list right now”.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has allocated additional funding for Bahamians stuck in the U.S. during this time.

Collie declined to say how much was provided.

On March 27, the government announced that the Bahamian border would close to all incoming individuals, including citizens and residents.

The step was taken as an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19 in The Bahamas.

There are currently 72 confirmed cases in The Bahamas.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/04/24/collie-wants-bahamians-to-return-home/

Dorian survivor in the midst of another menacing storm

Only months after surviving Hurricane Dorian, Stacy Miller, 41, has found herself in the midst of yet another storm — the economic fallout of COVID-19.

Miller, who spent her entire life on Grand Cay, said she and her two sons — Dejon, 18, and Joshua, 12 — had been living in a shelter on New Providence in the weeks after Dorian until she found work as a housekeeper.

As she broke down crying, she said she spent Dejon’s birthday in bed yesterday, because she couldn’t even face him.

“He just turned 18 today…” she said between sobs.

“But I knew I was going to break down. So, I just stayed in my room by myself.”

Miller said she had to stay on New Providence so that her sons could go to school.

Within a few weeks of working, she was able to move into an apartment and furnish it with the help of the Ministry of Social Services, which she said provided her with her first and last months’ rent and security deposit.

“There weren’t any schools open in Freeport,” she said.

“…My sons and them, we’re used to working. We had our own house. Living at the shelter, I couldn’t do it. I had to find a job. So, I started cleaning houses and saved up a couple of dollars.”

Miller said she had only just started to feel like she was getting back on her feet when COVID-19 hit and left her jobless.

“I don’t depend on nobody for nothing,” she said tearfully.

“I came here and got my job, got my car, got my apartment. I have my boys. I don’t even want to talk because I don’t want my boys to see me crying. But now I don’t even have a job. I had five houses, five. I worked every day, even Saturday. Now because of the coronavirus, I can’t even go to work.”

Miller added, “Now these landlords, they want their money.

“I couldn’t even pay my rent last month. I gave the landlord $200 hoping I would have worked soon to finish paying it off. These people want their money. I’m a stranger in Nassau. I don’t know nobody who I could call and ask to lend me $20 until I can work or something.

“Thank God for a lady I met at NPCC (New Providence Community Church).”

She added, “She helped me from then to now, even if she had to go out of her personal pocket.”

Miller said NPCC has been providing her with two boxes of groceries each week and that is the only way she has been able to feed her family.

She said her husband and eldest son, who are both on Grand Cay, can’t even send her money to help her foot her bills. With the 24-hour curfew and no travel allowed between islands, they can’t get to a bank on Grand Bahama to transfer the money to her.

“You know how many people want to send us money?” she asked.

“And we can’t even get it because the police ain’t letting nobody on the island and ain’t letting nobody off the island.”

Miller said she has applied for unemployment assistance but has yet to hear if her application was approved.

She said she just wants to go home.

“God knows if I could go home today, if they could open up the airport, I don’t even need them to pay for my ticket,” she said.

“I’m not asking for anything. I just want to go home.”

Shortly after The Bahamas recorded its first case of the novel coronavirus last month, the government moved quickly to slow the spread of the virus. A state of emergency was declared, non-essential businesses were ordered closed, a curfew was imposed and social distancing measures were implemented.

As a result, thousands of Bahamians in the tourism sector were laid off almost overnight.

Workers in other sectors of the economy have also been sent home.

Seventy-two cases of COVID-19 have been reported so far in The Bahamas.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/04/24/dorian-survivor-in-the-midst-of-another-menacing-storm/

No date yet to end curfew, lockdown

While health officials were unable to say how long curfew and lockdown measures will likely remain in effect, Dr. Merceline Dahl-Regis, health consultant to the prime minister, said yesterday that they will continue past the end of April.

Asked if it is the recommendation of the task force that the lockdowns continue past April, Dahl-Regis said: “The answer is yes.”

Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands said he has no idea when the country will begin to reopen.

“The more adherent we are to these interventions and initiatives, the sooner this will end,” he said.

“And then, we will have to be deliberate, cautious and careful in a methodical rollout of the reopening. At this point, we have no time for that. We have no date when that is going to happen.”

On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis announced that some of the curfew restrictions would be eased despite the continued rise of COVID-19 cases in the country. Auto parts stores, home stores and plant nurseries were allowed to open on limited days.

Many have raised concerns over the large number of people out during the curfew as a result.

Dahl-Regis said that the task force has recommended there be no further relaxation of restrictions. Asked whether some of these businesses will be made to close again, she said it will depend.

“We are only recommending no further relaxation of restrictions,” she said.

Dahl-Regis said health officials don’t know when they expect cases in The Bahamas to peak, but they hope it will be this week.

“Let us hope that it is this week,” she said.

“We are following it very closely, but I am unable to say. Each week, based on the findings, we have to look at the various models and see what fits the data, the data that comes in from the cases. It’s not only the number of cases, but the onset of illnesses, when symptoms begin, the time of the lab testing. There are many variables that are considered.

“…So, unfortunately, I cannot give you a date, but I’m hoping that given the situation that we were in a week ago and where we are now that within a week’s time we would have a better idea.”

As of yesterday, there were 72 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas. Eleven people have died.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/04/24/no-date-yet-to-end-curfew-lockdown/

Man fined $400 for violating lockdown

A 26-year-old man, who claimed he was checking on his neighbor’s property at midnight, was yesterday fined $400 for violating the weekend lockdown.

Police arrested Zhakero Archer after they found him walking on Breadfruit Street around midnight on April 20.

Archer pleaded guilty to violating the weekend lockdown aimed at containing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Archer claimed that he went to check his neighbor’s property after he heard his dogs barking.

Magistrate Samuel McKinney told Archer that he could have called his neighbor or the police.

He paid a $400 fine to avoid spending four months in prison.

Police arrested Owen Rolle at 2 a.m. on April 20 in Nassau Village.

He claimed he went to his friend’s house to arrange a ride to work.

Rolle paid a $400 fine.

Laphanza Riley, 43, admitted breaking the 24-hour curfew by being on Bacardi Road at 10:40 p.m. on April 20.

He claimed that he was on the streets looking for food.

Mckinney fined him $250 or he would spend one month in prison. Police arrested Oral Murphy at 3 a.m. on April 18 on Blue Hill Road South during the lockdown.

Murphy claimed that he was going to collect money from his boss.

He has to pay a $400 fine or spend four months in prison.

In addition to fines, the court ordered all the curfew violators to stay out of legal trouble for a year to avoid paying a $1,000 fine or spend six months in prison.

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