Active COVID-19 cases continue dropping and are now below 300; however, three new deaths take that total above 100

Health officials are elated over the recent drop in active COVID-19 infections, which recently was as high as 1,000-plus cases.

The active cases have fallen to 289, as of Monday, October 25, at which time there were five new lab-confirmed cases.

Health officials also confirmed three new COVID-19 related deaths, increasing that total to 102.

The Ministry of Health says 97 samples were processed at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre from which the positive cases were realized.

Officials say there have been 104 recovered cases, pushing that total to 3,645.

Therefore, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Antigua and Barbuda is 4,036.

As the active cases have dropped, so, too, have the hospitalizations, with 17 persons now warded at the hospital – down from 22. Of those cases, four persons have severe symptoms of the disease, four moderate, and nine mild.

Minister of Health Molwyn Joseph is optimistic about the country’s management of the pandemic and the current situation, which he notes is improving.

Joseph is pleased that the number of recoveries continues to be much higher than the number of new cases, as the weekly totals continue on a downward trend.

He says, “This augurs well for the country, as it is also reflected in a lesser number of people hospitalized with the disease.”

Joseph says this, in turn, means that the number persons who are seriously ill with COVID-19 also continues to fall.

According to the Cabinet, recent statistics show that there has been a 50% decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases; and over the last seven days, there have been 124 new cases, representing an average of 17 per day.

“This is in stark contrast to when the country was recording 63 new cases daily, just a few short weeks ago,” the Cabinet says.

There are currently 249 people in isolation and Joseph says it is likely that within the next week that number will drop below 100.