WILLEMSTAD - The carnival activities on the various islands have not led to a visible increase in the number of covid cases. The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reports this in its monthly overview of the Caribbean islands.
Last month, the number of positive test results in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands even fell sharply compared to the previous month: from 216 to 89 reports.
The decrease in the number of new COVID-19 related hospital admissions also continued. In February, 16 patients were admitted on all islands, compared to 27 in January. COVID-19 related mortality remained low in both January and February, less than five.
Curacao
Eight positive test results were reported in Curaçao in February and fewer than five hospital admissions. No one has died from the infectious disease.
The number of positive test results was considerably lower than in January (45). The number of new COVID-19 related hospital admissions decreased compared to January, when six more admissions were reported.
In the last week of February, one in 100,000 residents received a positive test result and the test positivity was 0.7 percent. There is a lot less testing on the island than in the autumn.
Aruba
Aruba reported 61 positive test results in February and thirteen hospital admissions. Fewer than five covid-related deaths were counted. This is almost half of the number of reports in January (117).
In the last week of February, eight out of 100,000 inhabitants received a positive test result, and the test positivity was eight percent.
St Maarten
Fewer than five positive test results and hospitalizations were reported on Sint Maarten in February. No one died of covid.
The number of positive test results decreased compared to January (14). There was also a lot less testing on Sint Maarten: 75 tests were conducted in February, in January this number was 180.
In the penultimate week of February, three out of 100,000 inhabitants received a positive test result and the test positivity was 7.7 percent.
BES Islands
Fifteen infections were reported on Bonaire in February. On this island, too, that is considerably less than the number of reports in January (38). The number of corona-related hospital admissions and deaths has been low for some time, with no new admissions or deaths reported in February.
In the last week of February, eighteen out of 100,000 inhabitants received a positive test result and the test positivity was 22 percent. No positive test results were reported on St Eustatius in January and February 2023. Less than five positive test results were reported on Saba last month, in January there were also less than five. No covid-related hospitalizations or deaths have been reported on either island in 2023.