COVID-19 pandemic in Suriname


The COVID-19 pandemic in Suriname is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have reached Suriname on 13 March 2020. The case was a person who travelled from the Netherlands the previous week. On 3 April 2020, one person died. On 3 May 2020, all nine cases had recovered. On 18 May, an eleventh case was identified.

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization 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.
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003, but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.

Timeline

March 2020

On 2 March, the so-called backtrack route between Guyana and Suriname was closed. Originally the closure was for one week, but was extended until further notice.
Suriname is considered a country at risk due to a 'weak' health system. On 3 March, Jerry Slijngard of the National Coordination Centre for Emergency Management is not sure whether the country can handle a massive outbreak: "If we are talking about two or three people, we can handle it, but a hundred or a thousand is a different ball game."
On 13 March, Suriname's Vice President Ashwin Adhin announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus in the country: an individual who arrived from the Netherlands multiple days prior to testing positive. As a result, the country announced that its borders and all airports would shut down at midnight on 14 March.
On 16 March, all schools were closed to prevent further spread.
On 24 March, Antoine Joly, the French ambassador to Suriname, became the 8th victim. Because he was in reasonable condition, he was transported to Cayenne in French Guiana on 29 March, where he will be quarantined.
On 28 March, a partial lock-down was announced with a curfew between 20:00 and 06:00 by President Dési Bouterse.
The measures were being supported by the maroon and indigenous people. Bono Velanti, granman of the Ndyuka, has instructed his people to remain at home. Albert Aboikoni, granman of the Saramaka, send an audio message to the chieftans to comply with the measures.
Ipomadi Pelenapïn, granman of the Wayana has announced the closure of their villages.
The association of indigenous village chiefs in Suriname has announced their COVID-19 measures.

April 2020

On 2 April, three patients were released from hospital after testing negative twice. They will remain under house quarantine for another week. 274 people including all healthcare workers have been tested.
Minister Stephan Tsang of Trade, Industry and Tourism warns of difficult times ahead. The country was already in a financial crisis made worse by a CCC+ rating by Standard & Poor's.
On 3 April, Suriname announced the first COVID-19 related death. The victim was the husband of the first case.
There are now 10 confirmed cases. The first case spread to five people. two cases arrived from Aruba. One outgoing patient infected two people.
The hospitals have 30 ventilators between them, and on 16 March the staff of the St. Vincentius Ziekenhuis complained about a lack of supplies to adequately deal with COVID-19 patients.
On 6 April, a specialized COVID-19 ward has been opened in the Regional Hospital Wanica in Lelydorp. Wanica is Suriname's latest hospital and opened on 7 February 2020. Wanica had already looked after ambassador Antoine Joly. The hospital will also be used for quarantines.
The International Academy of Suriname has announced that the examinations will continue online, and the students will be tracked using the internet.
On 7 April, Ambassador Joly recovered from COVID-19. The three patients released on April 2 have been officially declared cured.
André Misiekaba, minister of Social Affairs and Housing, said that the Suriname is not in a condition yet for emergency funds, but that food packages have been distributed to a hundred villages in the interior.
On 8 April, the Law Exceptional Condition COVID-19 has been approved by the National Assembly. The State of Emergency will go into effect for three months unless the National Assembly one-off extends the duration for another three months.
Alibaba has donated two ventilators, 30,000 masks and 2,000 tests to the Ministry of Health.
On 9 April, the European Union announced a grant of €8M, which will be implemented by the Caribbean Public Health Agency, for the fight against the coronavirus. Suriname is one of the 24 members of the CARPHA.
On 11 April, President Bouterse came under scrutiny by attending a large NDP gathering in Flora and not observing social distancing despite addressing the nation on 10 April and urging the population to observe social distancing. On 13 April, Bouterse apologised for his behaviour.
On 13 April, two more patients were declared recovered.
The population is still confronted with price gouging. The increased prices are not just related to the Corona crisis, but are made worse by the Currency Law which passed on 24 March making transactions in foreign currencies illegal.
On 16 April, education lessons will start on television starting today, because it is unclear when regular classes can resume.
Minouche Bromet of the Ministry of Health said that wearing a mask if you're healthy is not necessary at the moment, because there is currently no community spread in Suriname.
On 17 April, the repatriants of the 2 April flight from Miami, have been released from quarantine after an exit screening. There are 41 people in quarantine. On 20 April, Jerry Slijngard said that the group still in quarantine tried to illegally cross the border.
On 20 April, Cleopatra Jessurun, Director of the Ministry of Health, announced that the last three patients are doing fine and will be released after they test negative twice.
On 23 April, Medische Zending closed their outpatient clinic in Gonini Krikimofo. One of their employees had been in contact with one of the nine cases diagnosed yesterday in Grand-Santi, French Guiana. Other outpatient clinics in East Sipaliwini are only open for emergencies and pre-natal care, otherwise they can only be reach by phone. Medische Zending announched on 25 April that they are sending an epidemiological team to Gonini Krikimofo who will screen and test the entire community. The French health authorities will be do the same on the other side of the river. The clinic in Gonini Krikimofo has been reopened on 30 April. The two employees are healthy and the clinic has been disinfected. The population of Tjaboe Tabiki has been screened and tested negative. On 13 May, it was reported by the French health service that there have been no new cases in Grand-Santi for two weeks.
On 29 April, another person has been discharged from the hospital, because of testing negative twice. The person will be officially declared recovered after still testing negative after a week. There is still one person left in 's Lands Hospitaal.

May 2020

On 2 May, the Star Nieuws reported that the last person was released from 's Lands Hospital after testing negative twice. The case who was diagnosed on 13 March has not yet officially been declared cured. The total number of people tested on 1 May was 532.
On 3 May, Suriname officially became virus free. The Crisis Management Team reminded everybody that it is important to remain alert, and that the border situation is still a source of concern.
To guarantee the absence of COVID-19, samples were passed on the Pasteur Institute in Cayenne. Mirdad Kazanji, Director of the Pasteur Institute explained that both laboratories have been sending negative and positive samples to each other as a quality control.
On 5 May, the World Bank provided US$412,000 to Suriname to purchase essential medical supplies for the country's emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 9 May, President Bouterse announced an easing of the curfew from 23:00 to 05:00 starting 10 May. The lock-down on the Marowijne, Lawa and Tapanahony rivers will be eased from 18:00 to 06:00. An economic support program will be put in place and resumption of schools is being planned for 1 June.
On 11 May, the government announced an economic support program. SRD 400 million has been reserved to aid the people and businesses.
Huawei donated 1,000 tablets for e-learning.
On 13 May, the Ministry of Finance announced a tax and work support program.
On 18 May, an eleventh case was identified. It concerned an illegal man who was detained together nine others near Nieuw Amsterdam.
On 21 May, President Bouterse announced that the partial lockdown will be suspended on 24 and 25 May, due to the upcoming elections, but reinstated on the 26 May. Air travel inside Suriname will be allowed as of 22 May.
On 25 May, a general election was held despite the pandemic.
On 28 May, a new case had been discovered. The person had returned from French Guiana to Albina.
On 30 May, two more cases were discovered. In both cases the original is still unknown. An epidemiological team will be send to Marowijne District to investigate. As a precautionary measure, the internal flights have been suspended, and the bridge at Stolkertsijver has been closed. District commissioner of Boven Saramacca is one of the people who tested positive.
On 31 May, the village of Klaaskreek has isolated itself at 18:00. Klaaskreek was the town where Yvonne Pinas had voted. The number of active cases had increased to 23. The count of 24 was erroneous and had been corrected.

June 2020

On 1 June, President Bouterse announced that the partial lock down is back in effect from 18:00 to 06:00, and that all easements of restrictions are cancelled.
On 3 June, Vice President Ashwin Adhin announced a full lockdown starting 4 June 18:00 until 12 June 06:00. Everybody should stay at home. Supermarkets, bakeries, gas stations, etc. will remain open between 08:00 and 17:00.
As of 5 June, Nieuw Jacobkondre and surrounding villages have been placed in quarantine. Other villages in the interior are being screened as well.
On 6 June, Danielle Veira announced a total lock down from Monday 8 June until 21 June, because the soft lock down was not being respected.
As of 8 June, people are only allowed outside based on their surname. A second death was reported, a woman died in Regional Hospital Wanica this morning. President Bouterse has announced that the victim was Haidy Pinas. The vehicle registration system is canceled.
On 11 June, it was announced that Jerry Slijngard, part of the COVID-19 management team and Director National Coordination Centre for Emergency, was diagnosed COVID-19 positive. Of the 24 new infections, 11 were in the Brazilian border village of Sipaliwini.
On 12 June, a third person died of COVID-19. He died at home, and because his symptoms were consistent with COVID-19, he received a postmortem test.
On 14 June, the Government of Suriname has asked the Dutch Government for assistance. The details are yet to be announced, but Surinamers voor Surinamers will be included in the efforts. SU4SU has started a fund raising program both in Suriname and the Netherlands this weekend.
On 19 June, a mother who was diagnosed COVID-19 positive gave birth to a healthy son.
On 20 June, it was announced that the lockdown will be softened from 21:00 until 05:00 as on Sunday 21 June 05:00.
On 27 June there was an increase of 76 cases. Most of the cases were the result of testing in the South-east of Suriname by Medische Zending, and show infections in most villages.

July 2020

On 1 July, Paul Somohardjo, chairman of Pertjajah Luhur and coalition partner of the new government, has been diagnosed COVID-19 positive. He was taken to the Academic Hospital Paramaribo on the evening of 30 June. Chan Santokhi, Gregory Rusland and Ronnie Brunswijk went into quarantine, because they had been in long meetings with Somohardjo about the new government. It is likely that more politicians went into quarantine. told De Ware Tijd that the transition of government and election of a new President and Vice President will continue even though some arrangements and procedures have to be altered. Both Rusland and Brunswijk have tested COVID-19 positive, however Santokhi is still negative.
On 2 July, the National Assembly meeting of 2 July is now rescheduled to Monday 6 July. President Bouterse has tested negative. All members of the National Assembly have been tested as well.
On 3 July, Dew Sharman, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, announced that the Presidential Elections will be postponed to 10 July 2020 at the earliest. The Presidential Elections will be held on 13 July.
30 medical professionals from the Netherlands have volunteered to come to Suriname. The first seven have left on 3 July. All are experienced with handling COVID-19.
On 5 July, it was reported that 83 employees of Rosebel Gold Mines have contracted COVID-19. The employees have been locked down in the mines for three weeks now, and it is unclear when the quarantine ends.
As of 6 July, the school will reopen for students in their examination year. The schools in the hot zones in East Suriname will remain closed, and the villages will remain under lockdown. It concerns the area from Stoelmanseiland up to Antonio do Brinco.
On 17 July, the new Minister of Health announced the new policy. The main change is that data will be published once a day at 20:00.
On 20 July, a quarantine and isolation facility will be set up at Stoelmanseiland. Between 11 July and 15 July, a medical team had been testing in the interior between Stoelmanseiland and Diitabiki, and 23 out of 32 tested positive.
On 25 July, additional measure were announced by President Chan Santokhi, because the increase of cases:
A soft lock down has been announced from 4 June 18:00 until 12 June 06:00. Changed to total lockdown from 8 June to 21 June. People will only be allowed on the street on certain days based on their surname.
From Sunday 21 June onwards, the following measures are in effect in Suriname:
East-Suriname is excepted and will remain under lock down. It concerns the area from Stoelmanseiland up to Antonio do Brinco.

Old measures

The following measures were in effect in Suriname prior to 4 June:
The closure of the borders initially caused concern with both foreigners inside Suriname and Surinamese people aboard. Suriname is a former colony of the Netherlands and shares Dutch as the official language, therefore there are always a large amount people going back and forth.
Initially some repatriation flights were allowed including flights to the Netherlands, but the level of infections aboard and the identification of two cases on a flight from Aruba resulted in concern.
On 3 April, a group of Dutch people in Suriname were scheduled to be repatriated, but there was a problem with the plane which arrived a day late. They have been housed in two hotels where they have been quarantined, because Dutch citizens from Guyana were on the same flight. A second plane has repatriated them on 5 April.
On 7 April, Danielle Veira announced that the repatriation of Surinamese people abroad was postponed for now. It was also announced that home quarantine will not be allowed anymore, because of some people leaving their house despite being quarantined.
As of 9 April, there are 893 stranded people of which 603 are in the Netherlands and 88 in the United States. A total 513 people from abroad in Suriname have been repatriated.
On 14 April, Danielle Veira has contacted Irene Lalji, a lawyer representing a hundred stranded citizens in the Netherlands, to inform her that they are preparing to schedule a first flight for repatriation this week, and increasing the capacity for quarantine.
On 15 April, a group of over Trinidadian 40 people stranded in Suriname are in a desperate situation. 33 people of the group had been hired by Staatsolie, the national oil company. Despite multiple contacts to the Consulate and CARICOM, no plans to repatriate them have been made. On 30 April, it was reported that they have chartered a plane and will soon return home.
The first repatriation flight from Amsterdam to Paramaribo has been announced. On Monday 20 April the first 200 people will be brought home. Veira stresses that they will be quarantined in Hotel Babylon, Royal Torarica and Eco resort. on return. On 21 April, the plane will return Dutch people stranded in Suriname.
On 24 April, Jessurun said that four bodies of recently deceased in the Netherlands cannot be flown to Suriname. Two of the four died of COVID-19.
There is a group of Cubans stranded in Suriname without money. Veira has indicated that a repatriation flight is being considered.
On 4 May, the next phase of repatriation was announced: 6 May: Belém, Brazil, 7 May: Guyana, 8 May: the second group of 220 people in the Netherlands. The flight to Belém has been postponed to 7 May to allow for Brazilians stranded in Suriname. 15 May: India.
On 15 May, 11 out of 23 people from India have been repatriated via India. Those still stranded will have to contact the embassy. There will be no more repatriation flights for now which is also due to the fact that there are 576 people in quaratine.

Borders

Suriname is bordered with French Guiana by the Marowijne river. There is no bridge between the two countries and border traffic has to use the ferry between Albina and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. On 11 April, Suriname and France announced joint efforts to prevent illegal crossings of the Marowijne, and established a contact point in Albina and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. On 13 April, the Prefect of French-Guinea mobilised the army to guard the river for its entire length. On 15 April, John Samuel, Chair of the political party De Nieuwe Wind and former consul to French Guinea, had been send back when he tried to illegally cross the river to visit his family. A total lockdown of the rivers on the eastern border was instituted from 30 April, and concerns the Marowijne, Lawa and Tapanahony river. Essential traffic will be allowed, however people who illegally cross the rivers will be quarantined for 14 days. As of 2 May, the use of skalians on the rivers are forbidden. French Guiana had previously complained about the increase of – often illegal – gold prospectors.
Suriname is bordered with Guyana by the Courantyne river, and border traffic has to use the Canawaima ferry between Nieuw Nickerie and Corriverton, Guyana. A bridge between Apoera and Orealla in Guyana is still being planned. On 21 April, Suriname and Guyana have agreed to allow legitimate trade over the Courantyne river, because the closure had resulted in food and fuel shortage in the Amerindian villages, Orealla and Siparuta. The border will remain closed for people.
Suriname's border with Brazil has been established by the Treaty of Limits and mainly consists of impenetrable rainforest, and can be accessed through maroon and indigenous areas some of which are de jure autonomous like the Ndyuka. The discovery of gold has led to illegal border crossings and the establishment of villages in the border area. The international drugs trade also exploits the backdoor.

Notable deaths

As of 17 April, there has only been one death reported in the Suriname, but there have been several COVID-19 related deaths of notable people abroad who either had a Surinamese nationality or a strong connection to Suriname.
On 30 March, Jorge Sebá, the honorary consul of Suriname for Brazil, died in Rio de Janeiro.
On 3 April, Hans Prade, former ambassador of Suriname to the Netherlands and former President of the Surinamese Court of Auditors, died in Rotterdam.
On 10 April, Bas Mulder, a Dutch Catholic priest known as a media personality and sports promoter, spend most of his life in Suriname, died in Boxmeer, the Netherlands.
On 12 April, Surinamese-Dutch singer and percussionist Kishen Bholasing died in the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands at age of 35.

Crisis management

A National Public Health Response-team was set up in January 2020 who started to develop a response plan led by the director of the Ministry of Public Health, Cleopatra Jessurun. In cooperation with the Pan American Health Organization the Central Laboratory started to develop a test system for the virus which was completed on 5 February, and train the healthcare workers. Tests are also being carried out at the Medical Microbiological Laboratory of the Academic Hospital Paramaribo.
In March 2020 the council of ministers appointed a COVID-19 Management Team under the lead of the director of the Ministry of Public Health Cleopatra Jessurun and further consisted of
Ministry of Education, Science and Culture; Ministry of Trade and Industry; Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications; Ministry of Defence; Ministry of Justice and Police;
Ministry of Regional Development; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Social Affairs and Public Housing; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Agriculture, Husbandry and Fisheries; and
To effectively manage the spread of the COVID-19 and minimize the negative effects of the crisis on Public Health, Security and Economy, the government of Suriname made use of the Grondwet article 72c to announce a Civil Exceptional Status and passed the Law 'Exceptional Condition' COVID-19 in Parliament.
Article 2 of the Law allowed for the establishment of a COVID-19 Crisis Management Team led by the Vice President of Suriname, Ashwin Adhin, and consisting of minimally the following members appointed by the President of Suriname Desi D. Bouterse:
The Law 'Exceptional Condition' also enabled the establishment of a Parliamentary Crisis Commission with Jennifer Simons as appointed head. The commission is to be informed of the measures the government takes to manage the crisis and has the power to make binding decisions through Parliament on these measures with regard to compliance with the Law 'Exceptional Condition'. The Law has been extended by one month as of 10 July 2020. Ashwin Adhin was replaced by Ronnie Brunswijk.
As a result of the 2020 election, the COVID-19 management team will be replaced on 16 July 2020. Danielle Veira and Jerry Slijngard will retire. COVID-19 will no longer be managed by the Directorate National Security. Amar Ramadhin, Minister of Health, has become the new Director of the COVID-19 management team. Ronnie Brunswijk has been placed in charged of the Parliamentary team. The medical team is headed by Martelise Eersel, a former of Director Public Health. The medical specialists remain in the team.

Statistics

Second wave

Chronology of the number of active cases during the second wave

First wave

Chronology of the number of active cases during the first wave

Cases per district

Notes: