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There are currently 22 suspected cases of coronavirus COVID-19 in Dutch St. Maarten and a total of 322 persons in self-quarantine; 57 in self-isolation; 12 negative cases; eight pending cases and two positive cases, figures provided by Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Silveria Jacobs in a press statement released early Tuesday morning show.
She said the two confirmed positive cases are in mandatory self-isolation at home and recovering. The first confirmed positive case came via the United Kingdom-Miami to the island and the second was a student returning from New York, USA.
She said the Collective Prevention Services (CPS) over the weekend collected forms that were filled in by incoming passengers with residency in St. Maarten, and an overview of the information was provided to EOC on Monday. These were the last flights to bring St. Maarten residents back home before the closure of the country’s airspace on Sunday midnight for incoming passengers.
As of March 20, there were 42 persons in self-quarantine; 40 in self-isolation; 13 suspected cases; 1 positive; 9 negative and 3 pending. The numbers spiked by March 23 with 322 persons in self quarantine; 57 in self-isolation; 22 suspected cases; 2 positive cases; 12 negative cases and 8 pending.
She said the numbers on Friday, March 20 were up to 8:00pm and by March 23, this increased to final totals up to that day. The number of self-quarantined persons are mainly returning residents who have to stay confined at home. The spike from 42 to 322 comes from all those returning over the weekend who have been compliant and registered with CPS to be monitored, “and we appreciate their compliance,” she said.
The self-isolation cases are those who have dialed tel. 914 as a result of the public awareness campaign and are being monitored for symptoms.
The suspected cases are a subset of the self-isolation cases by Friday (13 of the 40 persons) and by Monday (22 of the 57 persons). Tests are being run by Institute Pasteur in Guadeloupe and we are currently awaiting tests on eight patients. “We ask the community to remain vigilant with hygiene practices throughout the day, remain indoors at home as much as possible,” she said.
“Those that returned from abroad, while CPS has access to the flight manifest, it would be a gesture of good faith to call, register and email the form to CPS – surveillance@sintmaartengov.org – in order to be monitored even if you have no symptoms as this time or call 914 for more information,” Jacobs added.
Situation on the French side: Two new cases bring total to six
Two new COVID-19 cases for St. Martin were reported by health agency ARS on Monday.
Total active cases on the French side are now up to six. Three are in Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital (in addition to a pregnant woman transferred to the Guadeloupe University Hospital) and two are confined to their homes. Two former patients have already recovered and left the island.
St. Barths has currently two cases confined to their homes. One former patient has recovered.
ARS stressed in its Monday bulletin that people returning to the island must absolutely respect the 14-day isolation period as this is the only way to fight the epidemic and preserve the energy and health of the front-line medical professionals on whose care and expertise everyone depends.
“We continue to call for the utmost cooperation and solidarity from everyone in order to apply and respect national guidelines. Awareness of containment must be immediate and taken responsibly,” ARS emphasised.
The Daily Herald