COVID-19 Update: “Another confirmed COVID-19 infection”

WILLEMSTAD - During today’s briefing, epidemiologist Dr. Izzy Gerstenbluth announced that after 508 people were tested, Curaçao has now 17 confirmed corona cases. A resident returned to Curaçao recently. This person was in mandatory quarantine when he or she (was not disclosed) felt the symptoms. The person was immediately tested, and the result came back positive.

Dr. Gerstenbluth indicated that they are now tracing all the people that were in contact with this person to test them.

Currently there are 430 people travel-related quarantine. There will be more people added to the list but also taken off the list once the 14-day mandatory quarantine is over. Therefore, the number varies every time there is a briefing.

There are also two navy and twelve FOL officers who are being monitored by their own doctors but who are reporting to the epidemiology department.

On the cruise ship, there are 191 crew members who are in quarantine and monitored daily.

Gerstenbluth explained why that quarantine is important. “Now there is one extra case, but that person has been in contact with few people. Because that person was quarantined, the group is small. And that is why we can live more freely. But we need to be vigilant. We cannot open our borders just like that.”

Gerstenbluth says that there are many out there who wants Curaçao to open its borders for tourism but that is a great risk now.

“The United States is a great risk now. Lots of infections and it spreads very quickly. When large numbers of people come into contact with the local population, then we have a big problem. If you throw everything open, there is a chance of an even bigger economic crisis and also a humanitarian crisis,” says the epidemiologist.




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