Experts tell White House coronavirus can spread through talking or even just breathing

By Elizabeth Cohen

(CNN) - A prestigious scientific panel told the White House Wednesday night that research shows coronavirus can be spread not just by sneezes or coughs, but also just by talking, or possibly even just breathing.

"While the current [coronavirus] specific research is limited, the results of available studies are consistent with aerosolization of virus from normal breathing," according to the letter, written by Dr. Harvey Fineberg, chairman of a committee with the National Academy of Sciences.

Fineberg told CNN that he will wear start wearing a mask when he goes to the grocery story.  Read more >>

Print this so you don't bring coronavirus home

Covid-19 tips: How to clean your home.

By Scottie Andrew, CNN

(CNN) - Life under coronavirus means staying home as much as possible -- but you'll likely need to make a trip to the grocery store or pharmacy at some point.

With the help of physicians and infectious disease experts, we built a tip sheet to make sure you don't bring the virus back with you.  Read more >>

'Sailors do not need to die': Captain of aircraft carrier asks for help with onboard COVID-19 outbreak

The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, which recently docked at Guam due to an onboard COVID-19 outbreak, is shown here in 2018 as it arrives in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

(Image: © Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

By Stephanie Pappas

The captain of a nuclear aircraft carrier docked near Guam has written a letter begging the Navy for help as at least 100 Sailors have become ill with COVID-19.

The San Francisco Chronicle acquired the letter, which was written Monday by Capt. Brett Crozier aboard the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt. Within the letter, Crozier outlines the impossibility of social distancing aboard an aircraft carrier, with its shared bathroom facilities, berths and dining facilities.

"The spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating," he wrote. Noting the urgency of the situation, Crozier also wrote, "We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors."

Four thousand crew members are aboard the ship, and only a handful of ill individuals have been evacuated to Guam, the Chronicle reported. To stop the spread of COVID-19 and prevent deaths, Crozier wrote, it is necessary to evacuate all but a skeleton crew from the ship and to find safe, isolated places for potentially exposed Sailors to quarantine.  Read more >>

Fishermen arrested, Bahamas Defence Force investigating

By Deandrea S. Hamilton

#Coral Harbour Base, 29 MAR. ‘20 (RBDF): Members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force brought 10 foreign fishermen into the Defence Force Base Sunday evening after their vessel was apprehended in the Ragged Island chain on Friday.

While on routine Patrol, HMBS CASCARILLA, under the command of Sub Lieutenant Owen Sands boarded a Bahamian registered vessel off Water Cay, in the vicinity of a ragged Island Chain. Aboard were 7 Dominican nationals, 1 Cuban, 1 Honduran and a Bahamian National. The situation is being investigated by relevant authorities at this time.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force remains committed to patrolling our borders and protecting the territorial integrity of The Bahamas.  (source)

PM urges Family Islanders to take COVID-19 seriously

PM Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis

As he confirmed that a Bimini resident who tested positive for COVID-19 died after she was airlifted to New Providence, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis urged Family Islanders yesterday to take every precaution to protect against the spread of the coronavirus.

Minnis announced that there are now 21 confirmed cases of the virus in The Bahamas. These cases include 16 on New Providence, four on Grand Bahama and one on Bimini.

“Life in our Family Islands is very communal,” he said.

“We live close together. We visit each other. We share common struggles and take care of each other.

“But, during this crisis, Family Islanders must make changes. Only go out to purchase necessities. Only go out if you are an essential services worker.

“Do not assume that it is not in your community because no one has tested positive yet.  Read more >>

Nurse’S Trauma Seeing Patients Die ‘All Alone’

Bahamian registered nurse Tahnee Johnson-Whitehead.

By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN registered nurse Tahnee Johnson-Whitehead has been working on the front lines of a West Palm Beach hospital where scores of severely ill COVID-19 patients are fighting for their lives. The 28-year-old told The Tribune yesterday that of all the things she’s seen in her year and a half as an RN, what’s most daunting is seeing people die alone and without the comfort of family or friends.

For the past two weeks, the young wife and mother has been working gruelling 12-hour shifts floating between the hospital’s intensive care unit where the severely ill patients fight for their lives - most times dying - and other units where patients are in a better condition, clinging to the hope that they’ll pull through.

As cases started to climb in her area, she said the hospital converted a tower solely for COVID-19 patients.

“They are dying and they are dying alone,” she said from Florida. “We’re there, that is the medical personnel, but there is no family allowed. We aren’t allowing visitors in our hospital and they are passing away very quickly. It’s just staff there and they are just by themselves.

“It started off slow but now there’s a lot of COVID-19 patients.  Read more >>

PM calls on all available healthcare workers, volunteers to join COVID-19 fight

PM Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis

By Royston Jones Jr.

Fifty-nurses out of healthcare system in quarantine.

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — With some 50 nurses in quarantine due to potential exposure, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday called on all available medical professionals to help the government in the fight against COVID-19.

The United Nations has designated the pandemic as the greatest global crisis since World War II.

“On the frontline of our citizen army fighting COVID-19 are doctors, nurses, medical technologists, hospital and clinic workers and others,” Minnis said during a press conference on Wednesday.

“Let me be very clear and to the point; so far more than 50 healthcare workers have had to be taken out of the system because of exposure to the virus.

“On behalf of all of us, I thank every health care worker throughout our country.

“I know firsthand what they are going through.

“I understand the stress and the anxiety.

“But, I want them to know that we will win this battle and that we are getting them every resource possible to win this fight.”  Read more >>