Bridgetown, Barbados July 27th, 2020 (CDEMA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) and Jack Ma Foundation have made a significant donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The shipment of supplies worth over USD$700,000 arrived at the Grantley Adams International Airport on July 26, 2020.
Read more: World Health Organization and Jack Ma Foundation donate PPE to CARICOM States
NHC Update
According to the National Hurricane Center ( in Miami, Florida, as of 8 00 PM ( on July 29 2020 the disturbance was centered near latitude 16 0 North, longitude 66 3 West The system is moving toward the west northwest near 18 mph 30 km/h), and this general motion with a reduction in forward speed is expected over the next few days On the forecast track, the system will continue to pass south of Puerto Rico tonight, near or over Hispaniola on Thursday, near eastern Cuba and the southeastern Bahamas on Friday, and approach the northwestern Bahamas and southern Florida Friday night
Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph 75 km/h) with higher gusts Some increase in strength is forecast through tonight, with weakening likely on Thursday due to land interaction Some restrengthening is possible by this weekend.
Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for additional development, and a tropical storm is forecast to form tonight
NHC Update
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida, as of 5:00 PM (AST) on July 28, 2020, the disturbance was centered near latitude 14.4 North, longitude 55.9 West. The system is moving toward the west-northwest near 23 mph (37 km/h), and this general motion with some slight reduction in forward speed is expected over the next few days. On the forecast track, the system is expected to move through the Leeward Islands on Wednesday, near or over the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Wednesday night, and near or over Hispaniola on Thursday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is expected during the next 48 hours, and the system is forecast to become a tropical storm tonight or Wednesday.
Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for additional development and a tropical storm is forecast to form tonight or Wednesday.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 230 miles (370 km) primarily to the northeast of the center.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb (29.74 inches).
NHC Update
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida, as of 11:00 AM (AST) on July 25, 2020, the center of Tropical Storm Gonzalo was located near latitude 10.5 degrees North, longitude 60.5 degrees West. Gonzalo is moving toward the west near 18 mph (30 km/h). A general westward to west-northwestward motion is expected today and tonight. On the forecast track, Gonzalo will move across the southern Windward Islands this afternoon or evening and over the southeastern Caribbean Sea on Sunday.
NHC UPDATE
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida, as of 8:00 PM (AST) on July 24, 2020, the center of Tropical Storm Gonzalo was located near latitude 10 degrees North, longitude 56.3 degrees West. Gonzalo is moving toward the west near 18 mph (30 km/h). A general westward to west-northwestward motion is expected over the next two days. On the forecast track, Gonzalo will move across the southern Windward Islands Saturday afternoon or evening and over the eastern Caribbean Sea on Sunday.
Bridgetown, Barbados July 23rd, 2020 (CDEMA) - Critically needed personal protective equipment (PPE) is on its way to medical workers on the front lines of the Caribbean’s COVID-19 pandemic response.
Yesterday, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) took delivery of the majority of US$3 million worth of PPE at the Port of Bridgetown. CDB procured and purchased the equipment with concessional resources through the Bank’s Special Development Fund.
Read more: Critical Personal Protective Equipment Procured for Caribbean Frontline Medical Workers
NHC Update
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida, as of 5:00 PM (AST) on July 23, 2020, the center of Tropical Storm Gonzalo was located near latitude 9.8 degrees North, longitude 49.4 degrees West. Gonzalo is moving toward the west near 13 mph (20 km/h). A westward to west-northwestward motion with an increase in forward speed is expected through the weekend. On the forecast track, the center of Gonzalo will approach the southern Windward Islands Friday night and
move across the islands Saturday and Saturday evening. Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next day or two, and there is still a chance that Gonzalo could become a hurricane. Weakening is expected after Gonzalo moves into the Caribbean Sea.Gonzalo is a tiny tropical storm, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles (35 km) from the center.The estimated minimum central pressure is 1000 mb (29.53 inches).
Bridgetown, Barbados July 21st, 2020 (CDEMA) – Canada continues to show its commitment to the fight against COVID-19 in the region by partnering with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), with its latest approval of funds to support the establishment of the Integrated Regional Logistics Hub (IRLH). A total of CAD$401,359.53 was re-allocated from the Targeted Support to CDEMA Project, towards the operations of the hub, which will ensure the supply of Personal Protective Equipment and other medical supplies to the frontline workers of its 18 Participating States.
Read more: Global Affairs Canada funds CDEMA’s COVID-19 logistics hub operations
COVID-19 Regional Surveillance Update for 16th June - The George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre, U.W.I.
In the week to Thursday July 16, 2020 among the 20 CARICOM members and associate members, there have been 697 new confirmed cases (compared to 692 last week, and 902 two weeks ago) and 25 new confirmed deaths (compared to 23 last week, and 20 two weeks ago). Most of these new cases were identified in Haiti (416).The remaining 281 cases were reported in 13 countries: Antigua and Barbuda (1 case); The Bahamas (13 cases); Barbados (6 cases); Belize (9 cases); Bermuda (1 case); Cayman Islands (2 cases); Guyana (28 cases); Jamaica (12 cases); Montserrat (1 case); St. Kitts and Nevis (1 case); St. Vincent and the Grenadines (6 cases); Suriname (184 cases); Turks and Caicos Islands (17 cases).
In the past 24 hours there have been 129 new confirmed cases and 3 new confirmed deaths. With 6902 confirmed cases, 416 of these in the past week, Haiti remains the outbreak hotspot among the CARICOM members. The continuing outbreak in neighbouring Dominican Republic (47,671 cases, 8083 in the past week, 929 deaths) compounds the situation in Haiti.
