COVID-19 pandemic in Saba
The COVID-19 pandemic in Saba is part of the ongoing global viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was confirmed to have reached the Dutch Caribbean island of Saba on April 12, 2020. At the beginning of the pandemic, the island had a population of just over 1,900 people.[2] As of 12 May, all cases were reported to have recovered.[3] On 1 August, two new cases were imported[4] which resolved on 9 September.[5]
For the COVID-19 pandemic in the Malaysian state of Sabah, see COVID-19 pandemic in Sabah.COVID-19 pandemic in Saba
Background[edit]
On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[6][7]
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[8][9] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[10][8]
Saba is in a difficult position given its tiny population. Saba's medical facilities can only care for eight people[11] and operations have to be performed on the island of Sint Maarten. For emergencies there is a trauma helicopter available from Sint-Eustatius,[12] however normally it involves a one and a half hour boat journey.[13]
Testing for COVID-19 was originally performed in Sint Maarten, with tests for people without symptoms forwarded to Guadelope.[14] Both rt-PCR based and rapid antigen tests became available on Saba in 2021 through a centralized testing facility which ran from May 2021 until its closure in July 2022.[15]