COVID-19 update and press conference – January 14, 2021. (PMO)

The island has recorded 29 new COVID-19 cases, while 28 persons have recovered and were discharged from isolation today.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic, in disclosing the new cases – 21 males and eight females, said the results came from  the 1,429 tests conducted by the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory.  There are 49 cases pending.

Minister Bostic, speaking during this evening’s virtual COVID-19 update, further disclosed that 12 were from Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds – seven male inmates, and five members of staff (one female, four males).  

According to him, this brings the number of confirmed cases at the penal institution to 309 – 239 inmates; and 70 members of staff -45 males and 25 females.

Turning his attention to the Psychiatric Hospital, Minister Bostic indicated that to date, no positive cases had been recorded at the Psychiatric Hospital.

“Today, we have 22 persons who were tested and all tested negative, with another 12 persons waiting for results,” he stated.

The Health Minister also gave an update on the COVID-19 clusters, noting that the ongoing contact tracing exercise continues to bear fruit.

“For the South Coast cluster, we’re still with four positives; the bus crawl, 17, and the Catamaran Cruises, seven. The West Coast cluster is now at about 100 positives. I would’ve indicated during the last press conference we had three persons from church in the north, that number is now four, and we can confirm one of the positive persons was a close relative of someone who was involved in the West Coast cluster.”

Minister of Health and Wellness, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic, said Barbados recorded 29 new COVID-19 cases, while 28 persons have recovered and were discharged from isolation today. (PMO)

Providing a breakdown of the West Coast cluster, Minister Bostic stated:  “West Coast bar one now has 35 persons who are positive – 18 males and 17 females. West Coast bar two, 34 [persons]- 20 females, 14 males. The Paradise Beach lime, 20 [persons] – 14 males, six females. West Coast restaurant number one, 17 – 10 males and seven females. West Coast restaurant number two, five [persons] – two males and three females, and a West Coast hotel, five persons, all males.”

The Health Minister also provided another breakdown, this time focusing on the overall figures relating to the first 100 cases – 35 females and 65 females – recorded at the start of the current outbreak, excluding those from Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds.

He noted that 96 (63 females and 33 males) were a result of local transmission and connected to some of the aforementioned clusters.  88 of those persons were Barbadian residents. “94 of the 100 cases were asymptomatic, and naturally, the other six have had symptoms,” the Health Minister said.

The age ranges of these cases were also outlined by Minister Bostic, and are as follows:  five children under the age of 10; and 12 persons between ages 11 and 20.  Twenty-three cases were within the 21 to 30 age group.

In addition, there were 30 persons between ages 31 and 40.  Within the 41 to 50 age range, there were 18 persons; while there were 11 between 51 and 60 years. There was only one person within the 61 and 70 age category to test positive for the viral illness, out of the 100 persons.

Lt. Col. Bostic added that the Ministry was working to provide a detailed classification of case statistics “at least twice a week”.

nya.phillips@barbados.gov.bb

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