Port of Spain — Bermuda, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica recorded deaths linked to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic over the last 24 hours.
In Hamilton, Bermuda’s tally reached 33, after the victim, who was not identified, passed away over the last weekend, health officials said.
It was the first death linked to the virus since May 13, but the fifth overall this month.
As of Friday, when no new active cases were reported, there were 31 active cases of the virus — down from a peak of 904 in early April.
There are 27 cases under investigation while the island’s total recorded cases remained at 2,491.
Dozens of young Bermudians were among those who contracted COVID-19 during a recent surge of infections and Dr. Dy-Juan de Roza, the national epidemiologist for the Ministry of Health, said that 67 cases involving children aged between 12 and 15 had been recorded this year.
But Dr. de Roza said only a third of cases in the age group experienced symptoms.
The use of the Pfizer vaccine has been authorised for use in the age group by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Bermuda, however, has not been given approval for the administration of jabs provided by the United Kingdom, which sent a number of shipments of the vaccine to the island to people aged under 16.
Dr. de Roza said vaccination sign-ups for those between 12 and 15 opened up three weeks ago and there was “definite interest”.
In Port of Spain, T&T recorded 16 deaths and 271 new cases of the virus, pushing the respective totals to 495 and 23,909. There are now 9,487 active cases.
The Ministry of Health in its latest bulletin said the figures are for the period May 22 to 30 and the deaths included 10 women and six men all with co-morbidities.
Health authorities said 449 people remain in hospitals with 128 in state-sanctioned quarantine facilities and 8,587 in home isolation.
In Kingston, Jamaica recorded 90 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 48,557 with 21,939 active and the death toll to 948.
The deaths were two women, ages 62 and 92 years, and a 76-year-old man.
The authorities said the new cases range in age from nine days to 98 years.
(CMC)
