By JADE RUSSELL
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said yesterday the latest COVID-19 variant may be in the country, adding officials are still waiting for confirmation.
Dr Darville stressed that there is no need for “major panic” with COVID-19 currently or the implementation of any new restrictive measures. However, he said that COVID-19 still exists even if some restrictions have been lifted in the past.
Dr Darville made these observations after the People’s Republic of China donated $170,000 worth of medical supplies to the Public Hospitals Authority yesterday to assist in the ongoing fight against COVID.
When asked if the new Omicron variant called XBB 1.5 is in The Bahamas, Dr Darville said he suspected it was, however, he said confirmation is still needed.
“Well, samples have already been sent off for gene sequencing. It’s in the Caribbean, we have a very robust rebound of our tourism sector. I suspect that it is here, confirmation will be on the way because the samples were sent off to either Panama or Brazil,” he said.
In recent weeks more than a dozen countries, including the US, UK and other European nations, have announced new testing measures for passengers from China as the nation battles an outbreak of COVID-19.
US government officials have cited concerns over a lack of data on infections in China and fears about the possibility of new strains emerging, according to international reports.
Dr Darville said the government still has no plans to impose COVID-19 testing requirements for travellers coming from China after a surge in cases there.
“A few weeks ago, I made a statement as it relates to no restrictions for travel for the people from China or those coming from China. And our EOC and our technical team at the ministry still feel that there is no need to execute any major testing, or restrictions for travel coming into the country,” he said.
“We are monitoring all the situations very closely at New Providence at our ports, our airports, as well as our Family Islands.
“And I can say that even though we’re seeing some cases here at the Princess Margaret Hospital. There’s no need for any major panic at this time or the implementation of any new restrictive measures,” Dr Darville said.
For her part, PHA Managing Director Dr Aubynette Rolle said the COVID-19 cases were currently under control in the hospital.
Ms Rolle said: “It is under control, we have moved those in isolated spaces that we call cohort spaces, so that there is control. And the reason why we had to open up (the) legacy (unit) to our colleagues, if you remember that we’re doing infrastructure works. And because of that now we have to open up that space. But, like the minister said, very shortly, the modular unit specific for any infectious disease will be here. The contractors are actually working to get those enabling civil works done.”
In terms of the bed shortage and limited space at Princess Margaret Hospital, Dr Darville explained that the hospital renovations are ongoing, adding that patients will soon be able to receive the care they need.
On January 3, Dr Darville said renovations at Princess Margaret Hospital were on target to be completed in the next several weeks.
