Elderly man becomes country’s latest COVID-19 fatality, while 33 new cases are recorded in five-day tally

Health officials and the Cabinet have confirmed a recent death that is linked to the COVID-19 virus, bringing the fatalities count to 136.

According to the Ministry of Health’s most recently published dashboard, this virus-related death was recorded on Monday, April 25. 

REAL News is reliably informed that the deceased is an 89-year-old man who was admitted to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre on April 17 after suffering a stroke.

Reports say he had several underlying medical conditions, including hypertension.  However, while being treated at the hospital he suffered certain medical complications and died on Monday at about 8 p.m.

Following his death, a PCR test reportedly was administered, and it revealed that the man had been positive for the virus.

The body was handed over to a funeral home and the coroner notified, while Minister of Health Molwyn Joseph reportedly advised the Executive of the death on Wednesday.

As a result, the Cabinet is advising all residents who have not yet been vaccinated, and those who have not received their booster shots, to do so immediately to strengthen their immune systems against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, there are 33 new lab-confirmed infections as of Monday, April 25.  Five of these were recorded on April 20; three on April 21; 11 on April 22; seven on April 23; and seven on April 25.  There is one moderate hospitalized case.  

Some 147 samples were processed at the hospital from which the positive cases were realized, while there were 32 recoveries during this period.

The total number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in Antigua and Barbuda now stands at 7,604, inclusive of 34 active infections.