40 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday, August 12

PHILIPSBURG -- The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Omar Ottley hereby extends his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Sint Maarten’s 39th COVID-19 victim, who has passed away. Minister Ottley wishes the family peace and comfort during their time of grief. As of August 12th, there were forty (40) persons who tested positive for COVID-19; however thirteen (13) persons have recovered; bringing the total active cases to three hundred eight (308). The total number of confirmed cases is now three thousand one hundred twenty eight (3128). The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) are monitoring two hundred ninety (290) people are in home isolation. Eighteen (18) patients remain hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 has increased to thirty nine (39). The number of people recovered since the first case surfaced on St. Maarten has increased to two thousand seven hundred eighty one (2781). Two hundred thirty six (236) people are in quarantine based on contact tracing investigations carried out by CPS. The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) Airport Health Team in collaboration with Health Care Laboratory Sint Maarten (HCLS) have tested 3, 515 travelers arriving at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), while CPS tested 37, 841 people throughout the community. As the numbers continue to fluctuate, CPS will continue to actively execute its contact tracing measures. Minister Ottley would like to remind the public to wear your mask, reduce social contacts, and sanitize or wash your hands frequently. Let us work together to reduce further spread of the virus in our community.