Acting CMO Believes Bahamas Cresting Fourth Wave

Better days could soon be ahead for The Bahamas, according to Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. Philip Swann, who says he believes the country will be at the peak of the fourth wave of COVID infections in the very near future.

The acting chief medical gave a full breakdown of the country’s Covid-19 status during a Ministry of Health and Wellness town hall meeting on Tuesday night. He says based on the data compiled over the last two weeks, it appears the increase in Covid cases is slowing down.

The recent explosion in cases began in mid-December, with the holiday season already in full swing. Since then, the numbers have continued to mount. In the last week of updates alone, 3,208 cases have been recorded in the country — the highest weekly number since the start of the pandemic. And hospitalizations have also increased.

While hospitalizations are climbing, Swann says the good news is those needing to be placed in ICU remains low. Still, the overall numbers are a cause for concern for the Davis administration.

Outside cabinet on Tuesday, Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Michael Darville said they are concerned about the numbers. He also revealed the Ministry of Health is considering whether to impose additional restrictions as the Bahamas struggles with an exponential increase in Covid-19 cases.

When it comes to the current measures in place, Dr. Swann says the mitigation measures, that include: revised travel and quarantine measures, hiring more doctors and nurses and a ramped up vaccination campaign, are all in full swing.

However, he says ultimately getting past this latest hurdle in the pandemic will depend on residents adhering to the protocols.