Concern has been mounting among security officials in Grenada following reports that approximately 20-per cent of the officers attached to the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) are now infected with COVID-19.

As a result, some officers have been working in shifts of up to 16 hours per day.

According to the Health authorities, the island started recording an upsurge in mid-August.

The latest figures have revealed that local actives cases moved from 5 on August 17 to 1791 on September 10.

Health authorities have since declared that the island is affected by community spread with the Delta variant which was detected in early August as the main strain.

“There are a number of policemen I think is over 160 odd policemen who are infected and many of them have to self-quarantine, and it is affecting them and their families and it’s affecting the productive level of the force,” said Dr Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister and Minister for National Security.

“It’s a tough act for everybody, with the lockdown this weekend, almost every police having to be working 15 to 16 hours, otherwise, we won’t be able to achieve a significant impact with the lockdown we are implementing,” Dr Mitchell said in a live interview late Friday.

“They are trying their best, they are giving the Government the support they can, the leadership is trying but at the same time there are serious limitations,” said the Prime Minister who explained that the purpose of the weekend lockdown is to reduce the movement of people “because when people move the virus moves.”

In a recent interview, Edvin Martin, Commissioner of Police disclosed that less than 50% of the Force were vaccinated but educational sessions facilitated by members of the medical fraternity were in progress with a view to getting officers to become vaccinated.

Data from the Ministry of Health has shown an increase in vaccination since the cases began to increase but it’s not clear if some of the newly vaccinated with the first dose are Police Officers.

The legislation establishing the Police Force allows for 1025 sworn positions for the maintenance of law and order, the preservation of the peace, the protection of life and property, the prevention and detection of crime, the enforcement of all laws and regulations with which it is charged, and the apprehension of offenders.

In a bulletin issued late on Saturday, the Ministry of Health announced that 182 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,345.

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Delta Variant Main Strain in the Bahamas

Health authorities in The Bahamas say the Delta variant is the predominant strain of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country, as it continues to grapple with the impact of the virus that has killed 453 people and infected 19,139 others since March last year.

The Ministry of Health in a statement said that results received from the FIOCRUZ Laboratory in Brazil, confirmed the presence of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

It said that the National Reference Laboratory had submitted 98 SARS-CoV-2 virus-positive samples to the FIOCRUZ Laboratory for genomic sequencing. The samples were collected between May 6 to August 8 this year from individuals on New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, Exuma and Bimini. According to the ministry 41 of the cases were the Delta variant, while there were 39 cases of the Alpha variant.

“There are 18 samples still going through the testing process. The new sequencing results confirm that the Delta variant is the predominant variant in The Bahamas, followed by the Alpha and Gamma variants,” the ministry said in the statement, adding “it is noteworthy to mention that the Alpha variant is more transmissible than the original COVID-19 virus, and the Delta variant is known to be more transmissible than the Alpha variant.

“Consequently, all major health facilities in New Providence and Grand Bahama are experiencing increased numbers of cases, hospital admissions and deaths due to COVID-19.”

The Ministry of Health said that the health care system of both the public and private sectors is now severely challenged and over-burdened, and as a result, non-COVID-19 cases requiring health care are at risk of not being able to access life-saving health care.

“Given the predominance of these highly transmissible variants in the country, it is essential to seek medical care early and avoid home remedies that delay accessing medical care. Do not delay seeking medical help if you experience signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Contact your healthcare provider or nearest public health clinic for more information,” the ministry warned.

It urged members of the public  to avoid gatherings of groups of more than five people, remain physically distant, wear a mask at all times, and wash hands regularly.

“Additionally, we strongly encourage all citizens and residents of The Bahamas to be vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccinations are proven to be safe.  They are known to decrease the severity of illness, hospitalizations, and deaths, if infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and all its variants,” the ministry added.

WORLD STATS