SINT MAARTEN (POND ISLAND) – Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), Richard Panneflek hereby informs the public that over the last week, the Collective Prevention Services (CPS) has identified around 15 new COVID-19 cases per day. The long-term average was five (5) new cases per day.
The EPI curve shows the number of new cases by date of symptom onset. While there were previous increases in numbers that could be explained by specific clusters, this increase in number of infections per day is most likely due to increased transmission in the community. CPS reported seeing clusters starting to appear in nightlife settings similar to the onset of the second wave.
CPS has not had over 100 active cases since September 11, and the report in new cases and active cases is alarming. As we are entering the Christmas season, we urge the public to remain vigilant, as we do not want to head into a state of emergency or lockdown.
CPS has worked tirelessly to keep cases low and manageable which resulted in code yellow. If our population’s behavior does not change, St. Maarten could likely be in code orange by the end of the year or worse.
This is a firm plea to remain vigilant and avoid mass gatherings. Wear your mask, keep your distance, and wash your hands frequently.
