Covid-19 in the Caribbean

Situation update, as of 31st August 2021:

Dramatic health situation in the French West Indies

The health situation deteriorated dramatically at the end of June in Martinique and mid-July in Guadeloupe due to the 4th wave of SARS-CoV2 and the spread of the delta variant representing more than 90% of the contaminations.

Cases have increased dramatically and to this day there are large numbers of patients in emergency rooms. The worsening of the health crisis with the continuous flow of hospitalized patients has been accompanied by an increasing number of deaths of often young people. The number of serious cases is always linked to fragile patients with comorbidities.

In Martinique, where the first covid death occurred on 17 August 2021, 72.2% of covid deaths were recorded during this 4th epidemic wave which began at the end of June 2021. In Guadeloupe the situation is comparable:

The holidays are ending with a still strong presence of Covid-19 and a “very critical” situation. Further reinforcements of health workers are expected, and eyes are on the schools where a new outbreak could start. This is a very worrying point as the vaccination rate remains low. The vaccination coverage rate (at least one injection) of the eligible population (over 12 years old) in Guadeloupe is currently 32.82%, and 30% in Martinique. 

In view of the seriousness of the current health situation, the political and health authorities have decided to postpone the start of the school year. Initially scheduled for 2 September, it has been postponed to 13 September in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthelemy and in the red zones in French Guyana.

In the face of this dramatic situation, new voices and new commitments from many personalities are speaking out in favor of vaccination.

Countries/Territories	Cases 31 August	Cases Per 100 000	Deaths	Deaths Per 100 000
Cuba	646 513	5 701	5 219	46
Dominican Republic	350 017	3 293	4 007	37
Puerto Rico	203 195	6 363	2 758	86
Jamaica	67 402	2 280	1 510	51
Guadeloupe	45 277	12 014	439	116
Trinidad & Tobago	44 481	3 178	1 278	91
Martinique	34 845	9 352	405	108
French Guiana	34 375	12 127	215	75
Suriname	28 840	4 920	715	121
Guyana	25 333	3 214	611	77
Haïti	20 850	188	584	5
Bahamas	18 139	4 624	354	90
Sainte Lucia	8 111	4 459	103	56
Barbados	4 931	1 714	49	17
Sint Maarten	3 641	8 956	49	120
Saint-Martin	3 273	8 783	42	112
St Vincent and the Grenadines	2 331	2 115	12	10
Antigua & Barbuda	1 713	1 784	44	45
Dominica	1 638	2 287	4	5
Saint- Barthelemy	1 520	16 647	2	21
Saint Kitts & Nevis	1 053	2 008	3	5
Grenada	357	320	1	1
Montserrat	29	492	1	16