PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The Dutch side Covid-19 cases have jumped significantly to 16 confirmed cases from six yesterday. The new positives are based on returned tests. One Covid-19 patient has died at home.
Covid-19 Update – St. Maarten Medical Situation (Or how I would rather put it: Reasons to stay yuh arse home)
SMMC only has only two ventilators. Both are currently occupied by non-Covid-19 patients.
The entire ICU is occupied by non-Covid-19 patients. SMMC has expanded its capacity by six more spaces, but all are occupied by suspected Covid-19 patients.
The medical pavilion is the set up process and will be able to hold 10 to 20 patients.
The Netherlands will provide 42 ICU beds, medical personnel and other equipment to be shared by all six Dutch Caribbean islands. St. Maarten will receive six of those ICU beds plus required support such as ventilators and personnel. These are expected to arrive on island MID-APRIL (as in two weeks or more from now). These six beds will also have to service Statia and Saba.
St. Maarten already caters to patients from Saba and Statia that the medical centers there cannot house. This has been in place for years. With St. Maarten’s capacity at maximum now, if there is a situation either island, while completely willing, St. Maarten does not have the capacity to assist.
