In the weekly press briefing, Carissa Etienne, director of the Panamerican Health Organization, expressed her concern that the additional mobility and the opening to tourism is bringing an increase in cases in the Caribbean. Yet, the numbers in those Caribbean islands are still on the low side.
Etienne specifically mentions Cuba and Jamaica, two countries that from the start were able to control the spread and have reported relatively few cases. Cuba has a low of 5,809 cases, and saw an increase of only six cases for the 7 October 2020 statistic deadline. The country has but 123 deaths reported and 11 deaths per million inhabitants, well below the world average of 136. The Dominican Republic death per 1M inhabitant covid-19 stat is 194. The data for Brazil is 697 and for the United States 655.
Jamaica is listed as having 7,273 cases. For the 7 October deadline, it reports an increase of 82 cases. Jamaica has 128 deaths and a ratio of 43 deaths per one million inhabitants.
Etienne reveals: “While Brazil and the US remain significant drivers of new cases in our region, we are concerned by spikes in cases – including in places that had effectively managed outbreaks, like Cuba and Jamaica. In fact, over the past 60 days, 11 countries and territories in the Caribbean have moved from moderate to intense transmission, which is a concerning development as countries reopen airspace.”
She calls for young people to take care. “Recent data show that, in some countries, Covid-19 is exacting a larger toll on young people more than we saw earlier in the pandemic. More than half a million children and adolescents in our region have been infected and these numbers continue to rise,” she says.
“We also worry that as more of us venture outside, that cases will spread to other, more vulnerable groups. This is particularly concerning for the elderly and those with preexisting conditions like diabetes or hypertension, for whom a Covid diagnosis can be much more serious.
“So, let me urge people of all ages to continue to wear masks, practice social distancing to protect themselves and avoid exposing others,” says Etienne.
She has some good news. “The good news is that rates of severe COVID illness have fallen across our region. Today, fewer people are being hospitalized and fewer require intensive care than before.
This is due in part to our growing knowledge of this virus and how to manage critically ill patients.”
This week the Dominican Republic has experienced an increase in Covid-19 cases attributed to increased mobility, including the reduction in the curfew.
Listen to the weekly PAHO briefing
8 October 2020