SITUATION
According to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Situation Report No. 22 (issued on March 13, 2020), the WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the COVID-19 viral outbreak as a pandemic in a statement on 11 March 2020. This declaration came as a result of the 13-fold increase in COVID-19 cases outside of China with a tripling of the number of affected countries within the past two weeks. This has caused deep concern of not only its rapid spread and severity but also the disturbing lack of action observed in some countries. WHO expects an increase in the number of cases, deaths and affected countries.
The first case of the disease in the English-Speaking Caribbean was reported in Jamaica on 10 March 2020. The risk of further importation of cases to the Caribbean remains Very High. The Regional Coordinating Mechanism for Health Security (RCM-HS), is actively working with Heads of Government and regional partners on a collective approach to the COVID-19 response. Countries are strongly urged to strengthen their health sector response and move to a state of readiness and rapid response.Â
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