The COVID-19 pandemic in Suriname was caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-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 (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.
The case fatality rate 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 backtrack route between Guyana and Suriname was closed. Originally the closure was for one week, but was extended until further notice.
Suriname was considered a country at risk due to a 'weak' health system. On 3 March, Jerry Slijngard of the National Coordination Centre for Emergency Management (NCCR) was not sure whether the country could 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 eight case. Because he was in reasonable condition, he was transported to Cayenne in French Guiana on 29 March, where he 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 (paramount chief) of the Ndyuka, instructed his people to remain at home. Albert Aboikoni, granman of the Saramaka, sent an audio message to the chieftains to comply with the measures.
Ipomadi Pelenapïn, granman of the Wayana announced the closure of their villages.
The association of indigenous village chiefs in Suriname had announced their own COVID-19 measures.
April 2020
On 2 April, three patients were released from the hospital after testing negative twice for the virus. They would remain under house quarantine for another week. 274 people, including all healthcare workers had been tested.Minister Stephan Tsang of Trade, Industry and Tourism warned of difficult times ahead. The country was already in a financial crisis made worse by a CCC+ (junk) rating by Standard & Poor's.
On 3 April, Suriname announced the first COVID-19 related death. The deceased was the husband of the first case.
There were now 10 confirmed cases. The first case spread to five people, with two cases arriving from Aruba. One outgoing patient infected two people.
The hospitals shared 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 was opened in the Regional Hospital Wanica in Lelydorp. Wanica was Suriname's newest hospital facility which had opened earlier in the year on 7 February. Wanica had already looked after ambassador Antoine Joly. The hospital would also be used for quarantines.
The International Academy of Suriname has announced that the examinations would continue online, and that students progress would be tracked through Distance education.
On 7 April, Ambassador Joly recovered from COVID-19. The three patients released on April 2 were declared officially to have been clear of the virus .
André Misiekaba, minister of Social Affairs and Housing, said that Suriname was not in a condition yet for emergency funds, but that food packages had been distributed to a hundred villages in the interior.
On 8 April, the Law Exceptional Condition COVID-19 (State of Emergency) was approved by the National Assembly. The State of Emergency would go into effect for three months unless the National Assembly one-off extends the duration for another three months.
Alibaba 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 (US$8.6M), which would 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 apologized for his behavior.
On 13 April, two more patients were declared recovered.
The population was still confronted with widespread price gouging. The increased prices were not just related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but were also made worse by the Currency Law which passed on 24 March making transactions in foreign currencies illegal.
On 16 April, education lessons would start on broadcasting on television, because it had been unclear when regular classes could resume.
Minouche Bromet of the Ministry of Health said that wearing a mask if you were healthy would not be necessary, because there was no community spread in Suriname.
On 17 April, the repatriates of the 2 April flight from Miami, were released from quarantine after an exit screening. 41 people were placed 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 were in a healthy condition and would be released after they test negative twice for the virus.
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 on 22 April in Grand-Santi, French Guiana. Other outpatient clinics in East Sipaliwini were only open for emergencies and pre-natal care, otherwise they would only be reachable by telephone. Medische Zending announced on 25 April that they were sending an epidemiological team to Gonini Krikimofo who would screen and test the entire community. The French health authorities would do the same on the other side of the river. The clinic in Gonini Krikimofo reopened on 30 April. The two employees were reported to be healthy and the clinic was disinfected. The population of Tjaboe Tabiki was screened and tested negative. On 13 May, it was reported by the French health service that there had been no new cases in Grand-Santi for two weeks.
On 29 April, another person was discharged from the hospital, after testing negative twice for the virus. The person would be officially declared recovered after still testing negative for another week. One individual was still reported to be at '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 had not yet officially been declared well. 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 was important to remain on alert, and that the border situation is would still be 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 would be eased from 18:00 to 06:00. An economic support program would be put in place and resumption of schools was considered for 1 June.
On 11 May, the government announced an economic support program. SRD 400 million had 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 immigrant 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 would 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 was sent to Marowijne District to investigate. As a precautionary measure, internal flights were suspended, and the bridge at Stolkertsijver was closed. District commissioner Yvonne Pinas of Boven Saramacca was one of the people who tested positive.
On 31 May, the village of Klaaskreek 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 would be back in effect from 18:00 to 06:00, and that all easements of restrictions would be cancelled.
On 3 June, Vice President Ashwin Adhin announced a full lockdown starting 4 June 18:00 until 12 June 06:00. People were asked Stay-at-home by the government. Supermarkets, bakeries, gas stations, etc. would remain open between 08:00 and 17:00.
On 5 June, Nieuw Jacobkondre and surrounding villages were placed in quarantine. Other villages in the interior were screened as well.
On 6 June, Danielle Veira announced a total lockdown from Monday 8 June until 21 June, because the soft lock down was not being respected.
On 8 June, people were only allowed outside based on their surname. A second death was reported of a woman who died at Regional Hospital Wanica. President Bouterse had announced that the deceased was named Haidy Pinas. Bouterse also announced the suspension of the country's vehicle registration system.
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 Savanna.
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. Specific details were sparse but it would have Surinamers voor Surinamers (SU4SU) included in the efforts. SU4SU has started a fund raising program both in Suriname and the Netherlands that 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 would be softened from 21:00 until 05:00, starting on 21 June.
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, which resulted in further identifications of infections in most villages.