Photo: Eros Erika/123RF

By Frank Martin

TTC Service.- The small islands of the Caribbean gradually lost their relative tourist tranquility in the face of the world coronavirus pandemic when several if then reported more than a hundred cases each.

According to official statistics, three islands crossed the line of the 100 infected during last week.

These are Martinique, Guadalupe and Trinidad and Tobago, which have been fully integrated into the fight against the pandemic with measures of social isolation and reduction or total closure of tourist visits.

Initial data that has changed over the days indicates that Covid patients in Martinique were approaching 200 at the end of last week.

Guadalupe had a similar situation at the time and topping the charts for small affected islands in the Caribbean.

In all cases islands exceed ten deaths.

Parallel to the increase in cases, the islands are turning to foreign doctors, especially Cubans.

The Caribbean countries that have requested and obtained Cuban medical aid are Suriname, Belize, Jamaica, Grenada, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Dominica.

Barbados was recently added to the health aid list when a group of nursing professionals, 95 women and six men, arrived in that country.

Other measures in the Caribbean are expanding.

In Guadalupe, arriving travelers have to comply with a mandatory 2-week isolation period under the supervision of local authorities.

Trinidad and Tobago already announced the order of confinement for the population was extended until April 30.

All restaurants in the country are closed.

A Caribbean opinion on the problems the pandemic brings was put forward by the Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, who stressed that although Covid-19 has stopped tourism activity, the industry remains optimistic.

Bartlett said, that “contrary to some people’s negative predictions, the evidence shows that travelers are still excited about heading to vacation destinations as soon as the COVID-19 crisis ends.”

In Bermuda, there is total confinement of the population to their homes because of COVID-19, which can only be skipped to buy basic food, medicine and supplies.