Monday, October 4, 2021
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Ministry of Health confirmed 20 additional COVID-19 deaths on the weekend, bringing the total to 557 to date.
The spike in deaths comes as COVID-19 hospitalisations declined and as the Bahamas reached a new vaccination milestone, with 104,380 people now fully vaccinated, according to the Ministry of Health.
Yesterday, infectious disease expert Dr Nikkiah Forbes cautioned that despite declining numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases and the positive vaccination trend, it is too early to say the country is nearing the end of the third wave.
Sixty-seven new COVID-19 cases were recorded on Friday and 46 were recorded on Saturday, pushing the confirmed coronavirus case count to 21,312.
“In the last few weeks the number of cases reported is declining,” Dr Forbes said yesterday. “However, what I will tell you is that the testing has declined. When we look at the health data we look at several indicators. Test taking behaviours affect a number of positive cases and there are biases and things that will affect test taking. A holiday weekend would. If there is very big activity, test taking behaviour may change. In those weeks where the numbers were declining, testing went down. So that’s why it’s important to look at other variables, deaths, hospitalisations and the percent testing positive for the virus.
“The percent testing positive is still on an upward trend and still much higher than where we need it to be. We want it to be under five percent. When you have a high test positivity of upward of 20 percent that is informative and means there is still a lot of COVID-19 out there. “What is positive is when hospitalisation starts to go down, when that trend continues to bear out, that’s an indicator that things are improving.
“We have to keep an eye on the epidemic curve. At the very end of last week there was a very small increase; it’s still too early to say the wave is being flattened or is behind us,” she said.
Dr Forbes said data collected at Princess Margaret Hospital continues to show that the vast majority of people being admitted or dying from COVID-19 are not vaccinated.
She said as of the end of September, 95 percent of COVID-19 deaths were unvaccinated people, about four percent were partially vaccinated and one percent - about four people - were fully vaccinated.
The fully vaccinated deaths include people who are severely immunocompromised, she said.
The deaths confirmed on Friday include a 72-year-old male Abaco resident who died on October 14, 2020; a 74-year-old Bimini man who died on March 30, 2021; a 44-year-old Abaco man who died on May 16; a 49- year-old Bimini man who died on July 21; a 50-year-old Andros woman who died August 1; a 57-year-old Andros man who died on August 17; a 62-year-old Abaco man who died on August 19; and an 87-year-old Exuma man who died on August 20.
The other deaths include a 74-year-old Exuma man who died on August 20; a 52-year-old Abaco woman who died on August 25; a 63-year-old Exuma man who died on August 31; a 79-year-old Eleuthera woman who died on September 16; an 80-year-old New Providence man who died on September 16; a 42-year-old Eleuthera woman who died on September 16; a 96-year-old Andros man who died on September 20; a 36-year-old New Providence man who died on September 28th; a 59-year-old New Providence woman who died on September 30; and a 70-year-old Eleuthera woman who died on September 30.
The deaths recorded on Saturday include an 80-year-old New Providence woman and an 85-year-old Cat Island man, both of whom died on September 16.
Health officials said 66 deaths are currently under investigation, with 33 deaths recently added to this category.
Ed Fields, co-chair of the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee, highlighted the rising vaccination numbers yesterday.
“From the 100 dose per day sites in the Family Islands to the 900+ dose per day super site in Grand Bahama…every dose counts,” he said.
“Our efforts are paying dividends. This achievement did not come easy but together we made it happen. There is still quite a bit of road ahead of us but my request of you today is to please take a moment and enjoy this milestone.”
As of October 2, 127 people were in hospital with the disease, a decrease of 12 percent from the day before.
Comments
tribanon says...
It's a shame the Bahamian people did not have the ability to vote Nikkia Forbes out of the public health office as a spokesperson this past September 16. Hopefully she's not in any way on the government payroll? She certainly shouldn't be receiving any government grants. Let her look to the CCP controlled WHO and PAHO for her lunch rather than us Bahamian taxpayers. She's done enough harm to our country as it is.
Posted 4 October 2021, 10:49 a.m. Suggest removal
ohdrap4 says...
They need to vote Carissa Etiene and Fauci also.
Posted 4 October 2021, 9:33 p.m. Suggest removal
ted4bz says...
Like they say it is a pandemic of the unvaccinated. No one bother to ask them what that means. It means no one‘s vaccinated because there is no vaccination for covid19. There is the 100% placebo solution that 85% of people are inoculated with. They are not not protected against covid19. And then there is the Variable % shots That 15% of the people are inoculated resulting to injuries and death. That too can not be protection. There is no protection, only a game played with the minds of those to scared and drunk to think and see through all this nonsense. There is no vaccine and that is the reason why this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated because those being jabbed and not jabbing remain unvaccinated.
Posted 4 October 2021, 12:21 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Did I just overlook The Colony not being on England's updated list of approved countries and territories like The Cayman's, Bermuda, The Turks & Cacios with approved COVID-19 vaccination programmes for travel to England and everything like that,
— Yes?
Posted 4 October 2021, 12:41 p.m. Suggest removal
Economist says...
Sure did Tal. Cayman 83% fully Vaccinated. Lowest is TI at 64%.
Bahamas 22%
Posted 4 October 2021, 1:12 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
@ComradeEconomist, **22%?**
Has you also not heard even a peep if the new premier is to follow with the Reds placing barriers in the way of TheColony's Undocumented's stepping Covid forward and everything like that's?
Did the new crown minister immigration not just deport hundreds undocumenteds', back to their Homeland — **unvaccinated,** and everything like that's. — **Whaaat!** — Yes?
Posted 4 October 2021, 1:53 p.m. Suggest removal
DWW says...
I got waxxed. I'm all set. Lets open up wide and let everyone come and go. It is unfair to those of us who got waxxed to have to continue to suffer as a result of all the idiot unwaxxers. If you so confident in NOT getting waxed then you won't mind if we relax all the protocols and we can all go back to normal? Everyone knows that a smooth pooch is a good pooch, get your wax.
Posted 4 October 2021, 2:28 p.m. Suggest removal
FrustratedBusinessman says...
I would end this crap tomorrow if I could. I'm sorry, you are delusional if you think that this is going away just because you sign your rights away for a shot or two of God knows what.
Go ask Israel.
https://www.cp24.com/world/israel-bars-…
Posted 4 October 2021, 2:55 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
true. Their statement is the most dangerous of all. Because they'll be the very one walking around like typhoid Mary infecting all their other fully vaccinated relatives
Posted 4 October 2021, 10:54 p.m. Suggest removal
joeblow says...
... her stats are showing that there is now an increase in deaths among those "vaccinated" and being hospitalized with covid! Just before the election they were boasting that there were no covid deaths among the "vaccinated".
Secondly, her numbers do not reflect those who died from various complications after being given the shots, but I never expected transparency from the government!
Posted 4 October 2021, 8:20 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
the numbers are only for people admitted to hospital. I was told that this makes sense, because they dont really know how people outside the hospital died even if it looks like they had COVID symtoms... "ok", but then how can they claim with such certainty that fully vaccinated arent dying in greater numbers? The information just seems so off kilter
Posted 4 October 2021, 10:50 p.m. Suggest removal
whogothere says...
Protect the narrative at all costs… ignore the fact that excess mortality exceeds 2020 this time of year in spite of vaccination, ignore the fact that ‘ascribed’ covid deaths are greater at this time of year in spite of vaccination..
Fully vaccinated schools are going online because of Covid cases…it’s the blind leading the blind over the cliff…
Posted 5 October 2021, 6:46 a.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
The COVID fight wont be over when 100% are vaccinated... because our main industry is tourism. It means the virus and its variants will be hiking rides in perpetuity. And since we already know the vaccine doesnt stop infections... and 60% of us obese...
Posted 4 October 2021, 10:31 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
"***Our efforts are paying dividends***"
The virus is running its natural cycle. Just like it did last year when noone was vaccinated. That strain had sickened or killed the most vulnerable and it faded away. Absolutely nothing to do with anything we did. **Newsflash. We're at 22% vaccination rate , no scientist worth their salt would claim that low number is the reason why the infection numbers appear to be going down**
Posted 4 October 2021, 10:57 p.m. Suggest removal
killemwitdakno says...
Fauci says to wait until Moderna boosters are approved by FDA, but the vaccines were forced without until they rushed an approval after this was a concern..
Posted 5 October 2021, 5:14 a.m. Suggest removal
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