Health authorities in Barbados reported on Tuesday that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) claimed the lives of three elderly men, while another 148 cases of the viral illness were detected in the island.
According to a news release from the Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS), two men, aged 78 and 79, died on Monday, and the third, aged 83, died on Tuesday.
Their deaths have brought the casualties from the illness to 542.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness also indicated 60 males and 88 females were identified with the illness from 679 tests conducted on Monday by laboratories in the island.
The BGIS news release said of the positive cases, 20 young people were under the age of 18, and the remainder were adults 18 years and older.
The media release added that there were currently 80 people seeking medical care in government isolation facilities, and 1 378 were being monitored under the home isolation programme.
At the same time, health authorities reported that 163 193 people (71.4 per cent of the eligible population) were administered the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine under the national vaccination programme.
Of that number, 154 389 people (57 per cent of the total population or 67.6 per cent of the eligible population) were considered fully vaccinated.
The eligible population represents anyone 12 years and older.
(BGIS/AR)