COVID-19 figures decrease in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, but remain high in Bonaire

THE HAGUE - The COVID-19 figures in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom have decreased again last week, according to the weekly update of the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). A total of 301 people tested positive on the islands, a 33 percent drop from a week earlier. Although a decline can also be seen on Bonaire, the figures there still remain relatively high.

The number of positive tests on Bonaire did drop considerably last week compared to a week before. In the week of 14 to 20 October, 324 people per 100,000 inhabitants received a positive test result, compared to 457 per 100,000 inhabitants a week earlier.

Relatively speaking, the number of positive tests on Bonaire still remains very high. For example, in Curaçao, which has almost seven times more inhabitants, only 65 people per 100,000 inhabitants tested positive for the virus.

A further decline in the corona figures was also seen on the other islands in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. In Aruba, 67 people per 100,000 inhabitants received a positive test result and on Sint Maarten that number was 58. Saba and Sint Eustatius reported no new corona cases last week.

While a downward trend can be seen in hospital occupancy on the other islands, the number of corona patients in Bonaire remains relatively constant. Last week, seven corona patients were in hospitals on the island and one resident was treated in the hospital in Curaçao. Bonaire sees no reason for tightening measures yet.

Experts have not yet found an unambiguous reason why the corona figures remain high in Bonaire, while those on surrounding islands have already fallen considerably. On Bonaire, 73 percent of the inhabitants have already been fully vaccinated. In comparison: on Curaçao it is about 55 percent, while on Sint Maarten it is less than 40 percent.

Public Health doctor Loes Jaspers tells the local news medium Bonaire.nu that the island is currently on a kind of plateau. According to the doctor, Curaçao and Aruba also dealt with this. It took some time on those islands before the numbers really started to fall. Whether this will also be the case in Bonaire remains to be seen.

 

Despite the high corona figures, Edison Rijna, the Island Governor in Bonaire, sees no reason to take stricter measures, he said at a press conference on Saturday. According to Rijna, the island should focus on targeted measures. These should be taken in the places where people become infected, and not imposed on society at large.




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