Covid-19 in the Caribbean
Situation update, as of 25th March 2021:
One year after the emergence of this pandemic, signs of concern are appearing in some countries and territories that had been relatively spared until then. This is particularly the case of Saint Lucia. The growing epidemic in St. Lucia is leading to a saturation of hospital structures, particularly the Victoria Hospital in Castries. A strengthened cooperation between Martinique and Saint Lucia has been established to deal with this rising epidemic. The coronavirus cases have also increased significantly in Cuba and Jamaica over the past month, while in Haiti and French Guiana the increase is less significant and other countries/territories continue to show no (Dominica, St. Kitts) or relatively little loss of life (St. Vincent, Grenada, Montserrat, Antigua).
The vaccination campaign against COVID-19 has started in the French territories, but vaccination remains a concern for many Caribbean countries that had placed their full confidence in the WHO-supported COVAX program. However, the massive purchase of doses of this vaccine by developed countries is delaying their deliveries and vaccination programs. The governments of these countries are looking elsewhere for their vaccines and some have initiated discussions with China, Cuba, and India.
India wants to help the Caribbean by donating tens of thousands of doses of COVID-19 vaccine (Astrazeneca). Several countries, including the Dominican Republic, Barbados, St. Lucia, and Dominica have already benefited from this assistance and thank the government of India for its generosity and solidarity.
For its part, Cuba, which has chosen sovereignty in developing its own vaccine, entered the final phase of its clinical trials in early March and ensures that it already has the capacity to immunize its entire population by the end of 2021. Havana is even making it an argument for tourists, who could also soon benefit from this vaccine
| Countries/Territories | Cases 25 January | Cases 25 March | Deaths 25 January | Deaths 25 March | Population |
| Dominican Republic | 203 037 | 250 579 | 2 531 | 3 289 | 10 630 000 |
| Puerto Rico | 150 318 | 197 041 | 1 703 | 2 096 | 3 193 000 |
| Cuba | 21 261 | 68 986 | 194 | 405 | 11 340 000 |
| Jamaica | 15 012 | 36 670 | 338 | 545 | 2 956 242 |
| French Guiana | 15 664 | 16 922 | 76 | 89 | 283 450 |
| Haïti | 11 181 | 12 732 | 243 | 251 | 11 120 000 |
| Guadeloupe | 8 980 | 11 298 | 154 | 165 | 376 879 |
| Guyana | 7 298 | 9 820 | 172 | 220 | 788 095 |
| Suriname | 8 057 | 9 077 | 149 | 177 | 586 206 |
| Bahamas | 8 101 | 8 935 | 175 | 188 | 392 244 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 7 443 | 7 903 | 134 | 141 | 1 399 448 |
| Martinique | 6 327 | 7 710 | 44 | 49 | 372 594 |
| Sainte Lucia | 810 | 4 161 | 11 | 58 | 181 889 |
| Barbados | 1 387 | 3 582 | 9 | 40 | 287 730 |
| Sint Maarten | 1 753 | 2 114 | 27 | 27 | 40 654 |
| St Vincent and the Grenadines | 738 | 1 715 | 2 | 10 | 110 210 |
| Saint-Martin | 1 146 | 1 619 | 12 | 12 | 37 264 |
| Antigua & Barbuda | 198 | 1 100 | 6 | 28 | 96 000 |
| Saint- Barthelemy | 300 | 775 | 1 | 1 | 9 131 |
| Grenada | 147 | 154 | 1 | 1 | 111 454 |
| Dominica | 113 | 160 | 0 | 0 | 71 625 |
| Saint Kitts & Nevis | 35 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 52 441 |
| Montserrat | 13 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 5 900 |