Dutch Ministry for Public Health, Science and Sports VWS, together with National Institute for Public Health and the Environment RIVM, have approved Aruba’s COVID-19 vaccine plan including the strategy, organisation and “gold chain” for correct transport, storage and distribution. This was confirmed by Public Health Minister Dangui Oduber in Oranjestad. The first shipment of vaccines is expected on February 15.
THE HAGUE--This week’s update of the National Institute for Public Health and Environment RIVM mentioned the five cases of the British variety of SARS-CoV-2 that have been found in Aruba.
Overall, the number of COVID-19 cases in the Dutch Caribbean has been going down in the past week. A total of 415 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the Dutch Caribbean January 18-25. The largest number was reported in Aruba: 291. In St. Maarten, 89 new cases were reported in that week, 25 in Curaçao, 10 in Bonaire and one each in Saba and St. Eustatius.
“In Aruba, there seems to be a decline of the number of daily infections. Up to January 25, [there were – Ed.] 391 active cases, of which 20 were hospitalised. Surveillance of the circulation of varieties of SARS-CoV-2 in Aruba shows five cases of the British variety.”
According to the RIVM, it concerns two visitors and three local cases. “One local case has a travel history to the United States and one a travel history to Colombia. This means that most probably local transmission of this variety is on the island.”
In St. Maarten, the number of infections remains stable, stated the RIVM. The incidence last week was 158 reports per week per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 171 per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week. Up to January 25, 133 active cases were reported. There are no COVID-19 patients in the hospital.
In Curaçao, the number of cases has been going down after the spike in November-December. Up to January 25, 90 active cases were reported, of which six persons were hospitalised. In Curaçao, the incidence last week was 16 reports per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 35 per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week.
Also in Bonaire the number of active cases has gone down. The incidence decreased last week to 64 reports per 100,000 inhabitants compared to 251 per 100,000 inhabitants the week before. In Bonaire, 254 active cases were reported up to January 25. Three persons are in the hospital with COVID-19 in Bonaire.
St. Eustatius and Saba each reported one infection last week. “Both reports concerned asymptomatic cases with a positive test result at the end of the quarantine period.” This means that these cases were not local transmissions.
So far, 57 persons have died of COVID-19 in Aruba, 27 in St. Maarten, 20 in Curaçao and three in Bonaire. In Aruba, five persons died between January 18 and 25 as a result of COVID-19, and one in Curaçao.
